The Age of the Gentleman
by Gemmi92
Summary: "Prince Charming doesn't exist. There's no Princess in a tower who needs rescuing. There's no damsel in distress nowadays. But the happy fairy tale ending with love? I don't believe in that," she shook her head, drinking some more of her coffee and Steve watched her with intrigue. How times had changed. Steve/OC
1. Chapter 1

Four days after he had been defrosted and time seemed to go by slowly. He'd walked around Manhattan, the bright lights and the dazzling sights continuously unnerved him. He'd watched the people as he sat down on a park bench, his hands laced together, and his fingers drumming against their selves in his feeble attempt to keep his mind calm. He'd watched as people walked down the streets, devices held in their hands and pressed to their ears as they continuously laughed at them or shouted down them. He'd been informed it was a cell phone after overhearing someone one day.

Of course, he'd been told that it would take time to adjust to this modern world which he now knew. The modern world where men and women were treated equally and people spoke in different terms. He often wondered if he'd find himself ever coming to adapt. Technology held no interest for him and he didn't long to catch up with the styles he had found himself missing.

No, he spent his time at the boxing gym, his mind consumed with images from the past. His fists kept pounding against the punching bag, trying to remain calm but failing as he saw men fall and the woman he loved fade from his image. He didn't think he'd ever manage to go five minutes without watching the punching bag fly across the room, breaking into pieces whilst he gasped for breath, his head bowing downwards and his hands resting on his thighs, supporting him as the memories left him.

He finally called it a night, realising that he didn't want to break anymore of the punching bags or people would become slightly suspicious. He grabbed his gym bag and headed towards the showers, turning it on with relative ease and allowing the water to wash away the sweat. He'd hoped it could clear his head, but, he never had such luck. His mind was a constant whirlpool of activity, telling him things that he already knew over and over again. He sighed after a moment, wrapping a towel around his waist and drying off as he stood in the abandoned changing rooms. He found his checker shirt and his brown pants and slid them onto his body, giving his hair a quick tug with his fingers before he slung the bag onto his shoulder and took off.

Walking at night was much more preferable than during the day. He found that the streets were slightly quieter and cooler, but, they were still quite busy. He wondered if anything would ever become peaceful in the bustling city. Did people not sleep? He knew that he didn't if he could help it. Seventy years of sleeping was more than enough to satisfy him for a lifetime.

The walk back to his apartment was brisk and quick, he found himself passing people and saying nothing. No exchange of pleasantries or brief smiles. His mind wandered as he watched people move past him, couples rowing or flirting, friends giggling or complaining, singletons musing or glaring.

He finally made it back to the apartment block, looking up at the old style building of brick before he pushed the main door open and made his way inside, looking around for a moment at the pigeonhole which was used for mail. It was rare he had any and today was no exception.

He kept on walking up the steps, stopping for a moment as he heard yelling move down the hallway from the first floor. He looked down the rows of doors, wondering what was happening and if his held was needed before he thought about it. The yells came from a woman and a man, both of them waking the neighbours with their high pitched screams. But, no one moved from behind the safety of their metal door. No one stirred and it took him a moment to realise that everyone kept themselves to themselves. If it wasn't their business then they didn't help.

He remained stood on the spot, listening intently for another few seconds as the woman kept yelling at the man, her voice full of fury and rage as she did so. And then she went silent. His brows furrowed together as he listened around, his ears intent on picking up some form of noise before the door opened wide, banging against the wall as it did so.

"You can't do this to me!" she shrieked out loud and he realised that the time for action may have approached him. He walked down the corridor with purpose, his bag still slung on his back as he watched the woman being pushed into the corridor, her body pressed against the free wall as her head hit it and the man continued to grasp onto her hair, pulling it tightly as he glared at her.

"I can and I have done. Who do you think you are?" he snapped at her, spit raging from his open mouth as she began to cower slightly, the anger she was seeing in front of her worrying her terribly. She'd never seen him look like this.

"Sir," his voice suddenly spoke and the pair of them turned their heads to the side, looking at the man stood down the hall. "I think that it would be more prudent if you stopped hurting this young lady."

"Stay out of it," he barked back and returned his glare back onto the woman, his eyes dangerously looking at her. "I never want to see you here again. Do you understand me?"

"Sir," the man said again. "I don't want to intervene."

"Then don't," he snapped back, his hand touching the woman's reddening cheek and gently stroking it. "We're done here, aren't we, Lizzie?"

"Get the hell off of me," she swiped back. The man continued to look on as she suddenly raised her knee, allowing it to make contact with his groin as she pushed him from her, moving away and back down the corridor. But, before she had the chance to act, his hands was on her again, holding her hair and stopping her from moving down the hall. She shrieked loudly as the stranger to the pair of them finally moved, his hand resting on the man's shoulder strongly, the brute force of the simple notion was enough to make him gulp as he dropped her hair from his hold and she flounced off, watching as the stranger pushed her former partner against the wall, his hand wrapped around his neck.

"Now," he spoke, "where I come from it is classed as disrespectful to treat a lady in such a way as you did. Respect costs nothing and bullies aren't tolerated."

"Lady?" he spat out, looking at her as he did so. "She's really no lady."

"Asshole," the woman named Lizzie spat at him and the stranger shook his head.

"It is irrelevant," he assured him. "You do not treat her like that."

"And who the hell are you to tell me otherwise?" the man snapped back and he glowered at him, shaking his head as he considered increasing the grip around the man's neck. He'd met bullies before. He'd dealt with many during his time. He considered them the scum of the earth and nothing more than that. He shook his head, releasing him from his hold and realising that he was not worth his time.

"You don't want to know," he growled in response to the question and the man scampered back down to his apartment, glowering at Lizzie as he did so before he threw a large black bin bag at her feet.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" he asked her as soon as the door slammed shut and Lizzie looked up at him, her face confused as to the sudden stranger stood before her. She nods once, grabbing onto the black bag which contained her clothes and she sighed to herself, feeling her stomach churning and her head pounding after the last hour of fighting.

"I'm fine," she told him, her voice clipped and curt. "I had it under control."

He had expected a thank you. Maybe even a small smile of appreciation. But, no, it was clear times had changed indeed.

"No offence, ma'am," he responded politely. "I don't think that you did."

"Well, whatever," she mumbled, pulling down at the pencil skirt which she wore before she moved down the corridor. She wasn't in the mood to deal with some stranger. She didn't know if she could handle it. He watched as she walked away for a moment before he shook his head, following her to make sure that she was okay.

"Look, ma'am," he called after her as he saw her running down the steps, her hand pressed to her eyes, "I can tell that you clearly don't want to speak with me. I just want to make sure that you are all right."

"Alright?" she snapped back the word at him, turning on the steps and feeling her legs shake as she did so. He remained stood a few steps above her, his hulking form defining him as her glare took over her and her arms flapped wildly by her side as she sobbed gently. "What part of that seemed like I was alright?"

"Ma'am," he said again, slightly hesitant when he saw her slump down against the white painted wall, her body moving until her bum fell against the step and the black bag dropped from her hand. He had expected her to cry profusely. But, she simply sighed and wiped away her tears whilst he watched her. He'd never been trained what to do in a situation like this before. He found it odd. He could deal with an attack from an army but he couldn't handle a crying young woman.

"God, everything has turned to crap," she complained, her eyes focusing on the wall opposite her as he remained stood up and she shook her head. He took a chance to take in the skirt which she wore. He considered it far too short, but, women apparently wore shorter than that. The black contrasted with the pinkish coloured blazer she had on over her black vest top. Her face was thin, almost gaunt looking, overwhelmed by a large nose and small mouth along with bland green, watering eyes. Her hair was straight and a mucky blonde, pushed behind her shoulders.

He sighed before dropping his bag onto the floor beside him, sitting down on the step and resting his hands on his knees as she looked at him, her brow arched with wonder as to what he was doing as he continued to look at her.

"I'd consider it improper if I left a woman by herself when she was in such a state like yours," he told her after seeing the questioning stare which he was receiving from her. She continued to look at him, wondering who spoke like he did in modern day Manhattan. It was no one she knew, that was for sure.

"I'm fine," she informed him.

"You just informed me that you weren't, ma'am," he told her. "Remember? You were stood there and shouting."

"Well...I don't need a babysitter," she said to him and he shook his head.

"I don't think that you do, either," he told her. "I'm simply here to make sure that you're going to be okay. I consider it the correct thing to do."

"Yeah?" she snorted back at him before looking at the wall opposite her. "Not many people would consider it the proper thing to do around here. Chivalry died a long time ago."

"I'd like to think that some of it still survives today," he informed her and she looked back at him, wondering who he was as she sniffed against her hand.

"I haven't seen you around here before," she commented and he nodded.

"I recently moved in," he told her. "Four days ago."

"Makes sense," she mumbled to herself. She was sure that she'd have noticed someone like him if she passed him on the staircase on her way to work. He had a face which was going to be hard to forget, she knew that much.

"I suppose I should introduce myself," he spoke, looking down at her. "I'm Steve. Steve Rogers."

"Elizabeth Meyer," she replied back to him, wondering if she could stand up yet. "Like I said, you didn't need to get involved earlier. I'd have managed."

"And like I said," Steve responded, "I didn't mind. It was no way to treat you, Miss Meyer."

"Miss Meyer?" she scoffed and shook her head. "Just call me Lizzie."

"If you insist," he said, slightly uncomfortable with that. "That man had no right to lay a finger on you. A gentleman would never have done such a thing."

"Well, he did," Lizzie shrugged, feeling the stinging in her cheek. "And gentlemen are hard to come by nowadays."

"Why is that?" Steve asked her, slightly confused. Wasn't it deemed correct for a man to look after a woman? How could that have moved on along with anything else? He thought something's were meant to stay the same.

"They don't exist," she said flatly, standing back up and grabbing her bin bag, flinging it into her arms as she looked at him.

"I'm sure they do," Steve told her and stood up, watching as she continued to stare at him.

"Trust me, this is New York City," she mumbled. "They're a rare creature to find around here."

"But not extinct," Steve quickly jumped in and she smiled once at hearing him, nodding as she pointed to the door.

"I'd best be going," she said and Steve nodded at her as she continued to speak to herself. "I don't know where, mind you."

"Well, you can't go wandering the streets this time of night," Steve said and she shrugged.

"I'm tough. I'll manage," she assured him. "Thanks then...well...for helping me."

"Even though you had it under control?" he checked, his face slightly confused. Why was she thanking him when she was adamant that she didn't need his help? Were all modern people this confusing? She shook her head, her hair moving to the front of her blazer as she did so.

"Well, it was appreciated," she said to him and began to move down the steps and out onto the sidewalk. Steve watched her disappear; thinking of what his mother would say if she saw him now. There was no way she would have been approving if he had just let Elizabeth walk off into the night alone. No, he needed to remember his manners. They were the one thing which he wouldn't let the modern world change about him.

"Ma'am!" he called out, forgetting about his gym bag as he dashed onto the street as saw her stood on the sidewalk, playing on the device known as a cell phone. She looked up and over to him as he stood with his hands on his hips and she arched a brow.

"Hello again," she said and he nodded.

"Evening," he said. "I'd like to accompany you until you find a safe residence, Ma'am."

"Why?" she wondered from him as her cell died on her and she shoved it into her pocket. "I don't even know you."

"Like I said," Steve shrugged, "there are still some gentlemen in the world."

She eyed him with suspicion, trying to size him up but failing terribly as she shook her head.

"I don't have anywhere to stay," she admitted to him. "I don't know where I'm going to go or what I'm going to do. I have thirty dollars in my pocket and that's it."

"Well," Steve spoke for a moment. "I can lend you some money if you so wish."

She scoffed at hearing that, shaking her head at him as she began to walk down the street. He followed her, wondering where she was going until she turned into the coffee shop she worked at in the afternoons. It was still open and she quickly placed an order for two coffees before sitting down in a booth, dropping her bin bag onto the floor, attracting some stares as she did so.

Steve remained hesitant, stood near her as she ordered drinks and then sat down, pushing her hair from her face.

"You didn't need to follow me," she told him and he shook his head.

"I made a promise," he said.

"I'm not taking your money," she informed him. "I don't even know you, do I?"

"Yes, you do," he spoke. "I'm Steve and you're Elizabeth."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know," he grinned at her and she looked at him before smiling back softly. "I don't mean to intrude...Elizabeth...but...what happened?"

"What happened when?" she wondered. "What happened to make me end up here with less than fifty dollars and no home?"

"If you like," Steve said as a waitress laced coffee in front of them. Lizzie smiled up and the woman assured her that it was on the house after gently squeezing her shoulder.

"It really isn't anything important," she told him. He looked around, sensing her hesitation as he took in the tiled black and white floor and the red booths which lined the room along with red chairs and tables. The counter stood at the far end as some people sat there, draining coffee and eating cake whilst chatting to each other.

It was peaceful.

"Due to the mark on your red cheek, I'd say it is," Steve responded to her and her hand instantly went up to it as he leant across the table, his fingers outstretched as he removed her hand from it and he gently touched it, his touch cold on her skin as she winced at contact. He cheeked for broken bone, but, it just seemed bruised. "What made a man do that to you?"

"I found out about his affair," Elizabeth mumbled, his hand roaming her cheek as she did so.

"An affair?" he checked with her. "You're married to him?"

"No," Lizzie said, flashing her hand in his direction to indicate that there was no wedding ring. "Thank God. We dated for a while before moving in together."

This was another change of the time which Steve couldn't understand. Marriage was supposed to be the first thing. Asking a girl's father's permission was how it was done. He'd court her before asking and then they would live together. But, times had moved on as he was continuously told.

"And he slept with another woman?"

"A few, by the sounds of it," Lizzie said to him. "I told him to leave. But, he had other ideas."

"What type of a man would do that?" Steve asked, dropping his hand from her face and she sipped on the coffee, feeling her pounding head calm slightly.

"Like I said," she whispered, "chivalry is dead."

"That's just wrong. I cannot imagine a man doing that to a woman. Surely a relationship is something that is sacred. You don't want anyone else if you have someone you love," he told her and she looked at him for a second, searching his baby blue eyes to see if he really was so naive.

"Love?" she checked with him. "Love is an emotion which has no use to me."

"And why is that?" Steve wondered.

"Prince Charming doesn't exist. There's no Princess in a tower who needs rescuing. There's no damsel in distress nowadays. There are things as partnerships...but...the happy fairy tale ending with love? I don't believe in that," she shook her head, drinking some more of her coffee and Steve watched her with intrigue. How times had changed.

"Well, I think that there is a Prince Charming for every woman who wants one," he told her.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she chuckled to him and he shook his head, smirking slightly.

"Not quite," he answered slyly and she folded her legs. "New York is certainly different."

"I wouldn't know," she said. "I've lived here my whole life...look...thank you for all that you've done...I mean it. I don't think I've ever known a man like you before."

"I do hope that to be a compliment," he checked and she nodded.

"It is," she promised. "But time is getting on and I need to find somewhere to stay."

"You can stay in my apartment," he told her, blurting it out and she looked at him suspiciously. "I have a sofa bed. I believe it is called that," he mumbled, thinking about what he had as she bit down on her bottom lip. "It wouldn't be right for you to spend your night wandering around the city, would it?"

"Like I said, I don't really know you," she replied and he shrugged.

"I can tell you all about myself on the way back, ma'am," he said. "I'm afraid the answer no really isn't an option."

"My mother warned me about trusting strange men," she informed him and he stood up, picking up the black bag from the floor as she remained seated and looking at him.

"I'm not strange," he assured her. "I'll tell you everything you want to know on the way back and then that way I won't be a stranger."

"Fine," Lizzie spoke and she stood up as he held his arm out to her, offering for her to take it. And she did. She clung onto a man who she had just met in the hope that maybe there were still some good people out there.

And he had offered her his kindness because he considered it the right thing to do. He knew how women deserved to be treated and he wanted to show her that there was just one ounce of goodness left in the world. That there was such a thing as a Prince Charming. Yes, he didn't ride a white horse or wear a suit of armour. Hardly anyone did. But, as the time passed, Elizabeth came to see that he rode a Harley Davidson and wore a spangly suit.


	2. Chapter 2

"I was supposed to be questioning you," Elizabeth said to Steve as they ambled down the sidewalk. He held her bag with ease in his hands and his other arm remained in a fixed position, allowing her to hold onto it. Her touch was light against his muscles and she wondered how much time had spent inside of a gym. She didn't think that it was possible for someone to be built like he was.

"There really isn't anything to know about me," he said to her. How he knew that was a lie. But, he didn't want to discuss how he had been frozen for a few decades and had woken up to this strange world. Nothing made sense to him and he didn't really want to admit that to her.

"What do you do as a living?" she asked him and he thought for a moment. A job. He hadn't even considered having a job since he woke up. He was a soldier through and through. There was nothing else which would ever appeal to him. He supposed he was still working for S.H.I.E.L.D., but, he hadn't heard anything from them in the past few days and it wasn't like he could tell Lizzie of them.

"I was a soldier," he decided to tell her and she looked up to him. She could easily see that.

"Iraq?" she asked him and he simply decided to nod with her. There was a war in Iraq? How was he supposed to know about that? He was still trying to work a microwave never mind catching up with modern news and foreign affairs. "What happened?"

"I was injured," he lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie. He had been injured. He'd been frozen for years. He classed that as an injury. "So, here I am in New York again until I decide what to do in life. I don't like to talk about the past. It's a piece of my life I would prefer to keep private."

"That's fine," Lizzie assured him as they saw the apartment block and Steve fished around for his keys as Lizzie followed him up the steps. "I mean, I'm just some stranger who you've met."

"Like I said," Steve spoke down to her. "I don't see you as a stranger. I know your name and I know a bit about you."

He suddenly realised that she wasn't listening as her eyes glanced down the hallway on the first floor and she saw the apartment which her and Geoff had been living in. Steve looked back at her and followed her gaze. Slowly, he placed his hand onto the small of her back and her eyes moved back onto him and she forced a smile onto her face before following him up the steps.

"I know it isn't easy for you, ma'am," Steve informed her. "Living above the man who treated you with distaste."

"No, Mr Rogers, it isn't," she confirmed and Steve finally opened the door to his apartment before arching a brow and allowing her into his apartment, switching the light on as he did so.

"You can call me Steve," he said to her and she looked at him with vague amusement before staring around his apartment, wondering what personal touches he had around the place.

"And you can call me Elizabeth," she spoke back slyly. "Until you do then you're Mr Rogers."

Steve smirked, thinking about her wit as he shut the door to his apartment and placed the chain into the bolt whilst Lizzie wandered around the small living room, her arms folded as she felt slightly out of place. Steve coughed once, his hand covering his mouth as he placed her bag onto the sofa and he dropped his keys onto the kitchen worktop. How did he do this? How did he host guests? And a female at that. He had shared room with males, but never a female. Never mind having her stay the night. Back in his day the neighbours would have whispered about him whilst they did their laundry.

Today, no one would blink an eye. It was deemed normal.

Slowly, he thought about what his mother would tell him to do. All he had to do was be his proper and polite self to her.

"So, I'll let you get to bed if you want," Lizzie said to him quickly. "I don't want to intrude on whatever you do in the evening."

"It is half past one in the morning," Steve chuckled. "I think sleeping is in order. Do you want to use the bathroom?"

"No," she assured him. "I'll use it after you."

Steve nodded at her as she perched herself on the edge of his sofa and he moved into the bathroom. She didn't intend on bringing out the sofa bed. Just the sofa would be fine. It was big enough anyway, what with its soft leather and wide width. No, she'd be quite fine just collapsing to sleep before she had to get up and do her shift at the accountant's reception area for the morning.

And then she had to go and serve coffee until six at night. She wondered if there really was any rest in New York City. She brought her hands into the bag and found a pair of pyjamas with her black clutch and purse resting in it. At least she didn't have to go back for that. She wondered what she did have to go back for. The apartment was Geoff's. She simply lived there. She guessed nothing was hers except for her purse and passport and clothes. Nothing else really mattered to her. Possessions just filled the place up.

"I brought you a blanket and pillow from the cupboard in the bathroom," Steve's voice snapped her out from her thoughts and she looked into his blue eyes as he placed them onto the arm of the sofa. "Do you need any help?"

"No," she promised him. "I'm just going to go and change and then I'll sleep...I'll be out of your hair tomorrow, I promise. Faster than you can say Indiana Jones," she joked and Steve's brow furrowed together as he looked at her and she stared back at him. "Don't you know who Indiana Jones is?" she asked him and he wondered if he did. But, he was pretty sure that he didn't.

"No, ma'am," he said back to her.

"Well, Mr Rogers," Elizabeth spoke back and Steve grinned. "He was a treasure hunter and archaeologist...sort of got into trouble and got out of situations quickly...I got the quote from Notting Hill...it's my favourite film." She informed him and the vacant look on his face told her that she would have been better off rambling to the empty vase on his coffee table.

"So," Elizabeth drawled, "I will go use the bathroom and then I'll be gone tomorrow morning. I promise."

"No worries, Miss Meyer," he told her and she groaned under her breath, wondering why he was so formal. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need to."

"I don't want to intrude," she said and he shook his head.

"You're not," he promised her, walking off to his bedroom as she stood in the doorway for the bathroom. The pair of them turned back to look at each other and Elizabeth nodded once at him.

"Goodnight then, Mr Rogers. And thank you...well...for everything..."

"Goodnight ma'am," he spoke back and the pair of them continued to look at each other before Elizabeth made the first move and went into the bathroom.

Steve turned the handle to the door and walked inside of his bedroom, his mind still confused as to this Notting Hill and Indiana Jones business.

...

Sleep wasn't something which came naturally to Steve. He knew that much. He often spent his nights laying awake and staring into the darkness, memories of the past clouding his mind and stopping him from ever sleeping soundly. But, the past wasn't bothering him that night. No, his mind was entirely focused on the girl sleeping in his living room. He listened intently as she padded around the living room and finally settled herself onto his sofa and he wondered how a man could treat her the way in which her ex had done.

She'd told him that he was called Geoff and the pair of them had met when she was just finishing off college. Apparently he was four years older and had a stable job as a manager of some bar.

Steve's mind was already trying to adjust to the times, what with the development of technology and machines like microwaves. Now he had to deal with the fact that men hit women and were able to get away with it. It screamed wrong to him.

Finally, he allowed his mind to slowly close down, realising that even a superhero needed sleep.

...

The apartment was quiet the next day when he got up. He stretched in his bed quickly, looking around his room as light flooded through his curtains and the clock to the side of him informed him that it was six a.m. That was considered a good night's sleep for him. It was rare he went three hours without waking up.

He plodded around his bedroom dressed in the cotton pyjamas he had before he moved out into the living room, his sounds muted to make sure he didn't disturb her. But, it seemed that she wasn't disturbed. His eyes instantly went to the empty sofa with the folded up blanket and pillow.

"Good morning," she spoke softly, turning around when she heard him leave the bedroom, the clicking of the door handle being a giveaway sign. Steve's eyes danced over to the kitchen where she was stood. She'd changed and showered, her hair was piled on top of her head, still damp from her shower. Her clothes were neat, the red dress quite short on her frame. His mother would easily have disapproved of it. He couldn't help but notice her legs looked like twigs, even though they seemed to never end.

"I...well...I made breakfast," she told him. "I hope you don't mind...I mean...there was eggs so...well...I scrambled them. There's coffee on the table or orange juice. I thought that was the least I could do. You like eggs, don't you?" she checked with him and he nodded at her, watching as she stood at the oven and scrambled the eggs. Even he'd managed to work the oven. That thing had proved it wasn't his nemesis.

"You didn't have to," he informed her and she shook her head.

"You took in a strange woman without a question," she reminded him. "I guess it was the least that I could."

"Well, thank you," Steve spoke and she shrugged.

"Don't mention it." She told him and dished it onto a plate quickly. Only one plate. Steve looked at her as she set it down on the small wooden table.

"Are you not having breakfast?" he wondered and she shook her head.

"I need to be at work for half past seven," she informed him quickly, moving back off to the sofa and grabbing onto her black clutch bag and then slipping into the flat ballet pumps which she wore. "I'll eat something later. I don't do breakfast."

"Where do you work?" he wondered. He hadn't even asked her the night before. She'd quoted films to him but hadn't mentioned that small piece of information.

"An accountants in the morning. I man the phones and do the photocopying . Then someone comes in the afternoon and I go to the coffee shop we went to last night for a shift," she said. "But, I'll find somewhere else to stay tonight so I'm out of you way."

"There really is no need, ma'am," he promised her, deciding to speak instead of being lost on what photocopying was.

"There is," she responded. "So, enjoy your breakfast. I'll come back for my stuff later."

"What time do you finish your shift?" Steve asked.

"Six," she informed him, shrugging into her black blazer. "Thanks again for everything."

"Will you be okay getting to work?" he asked and she raised a brow at him.

"I'll manage," she simply spoke. "I'll see you later."

Steve didn't really gain a chance to say anything back to her before she had left and was rushing down the apartment to get to work.

...

No amount of foundation was hiding the bruise which was forming on Elizabeth's cheek. She knew that. She also knew that she was attracting stares all day because of it. Everyone asked if she was okay and she always answered yes. It wasn't until she started her shift in the coffee house when her manager saw her and asked her the same question. But, she didn't take her okay as a real answer.

"I've been living in Manhattan for sixty two years, missy," she said, wagging her finger as Elizabeth set down the plate she had been washing in the back. "I've seen girls hide the bruises with make-up and it doesn't hide the fact that it happened."

"We had an argument, Brenda," Lizzie sighed, checking the clock which informed her it was half past five. "He's been having affairs galore and I didn't know about it."

"That asshole," Brenda spoke back, leaning against the worktop behind Lizzie who chuckled once.

"That's what I called him last night."

"And he had the cheek to hit you?" Brenda snapped rhetorically. "I hope you left his sorry ass."

"I didn't really have to," Lizzie spoke, picking up a tea towel and beginning to dry the plates she had just soaked with soap. "He kicked me out before I could walk out."

"How dare he," Brenda said, her fists shaking. "Men are like worms, Lizzie, honey. Trust me, there ain't any decent ones left in this City."

"Amen to that," Lizzie said and the woman nodded back at her. "I think there might be one though."

"Well, give me his number," Brenda joked and Elizabeth laughed with her.

"He lives above Geoff. He's new in the apartment and he witnessed the entire thing last night between me and Geoff. He kind of...well...he took me in last night..." Lizzie said and Brenda arched a brow.

"And he didn't try to get into your skirt?"

"Brenda!" Lizzie complained, rolling her eyes. "No, he didn't. Steve was a perfect...well...Jesus, I guess he was a gentleman."

"Bloody hell," Brenda said. "And this is coming from the one who believes that chivalry is dead and men want nothing other than a woman who can cook and clean and please them in the sack?"

"I wonder where I get that pessimistic attitude from," Lizzie said and Brenda pointed to herself.

"Are you accusing me of corrupting you, sweetie?" she asked and Lizzie shook her head.

"Never," she teased. "No...I thought that Geoff was different. How wrong was I? It's all I've ever had, Brenda. They treat you right for the first few months. Get you where they want you and then that is it. The romance is dead. I'm sure of it."

"Babe, you're twenty six," Brenda said. "You're not my age. The world can be full of many surprises. The only man I met was in the sixties and I lost him. Now I have a vendetta against them all because I don't have my Richard. It's just an act, honey. I lost the one who treated me well and that's it."

"Brenda," Lizzie sighed, kissing her on the cheek quickly. "Any guy would be lucky to have you and your sarcastic wit."

"And don't you forget it," Brenda said, not wanting her to go soppy. "Now go and change out of that uniform and get your bony ass back to this guy who is looking after you."

"It isn't six."

"You think I can't tell the time, girly?" Brenda said shrilly. "Get off."

"Thanks, Brenda," Lizzie said, moving back to the changing room and changing from the pink uniform and into her red dress, grabbing her clutch and the moving back out front. She walked past the counter with her bag under her arm and she did a double take when she saw him stood there.

"Steve," she startled herself and he looked at her, stood in his usual brown leather jacket and a different cotton shirt along with brown pants. "What are you doing here?"

"You said you left at six. I thought that I could ask a favour from you," he said coyly and Lizzie nodded.

"What is it?"

"I don't really remember much of New York," he admitted with a slight lie. "I thought that you could show me the sights."

"Tonight?" she checked. "I'm supposed to be looking for somewhere else to live."

"And like I said, ma'am," he replied. "There is no need."

"Fine...if you want to," Lizzie shrugged nonchalantly, walking past him before she heard Brenda call her from behind the counter.

"Loopy Lovely Lizzie!" she yelled and Elizabeth smiled softly before turning around and looking at her. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your arm candy?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes, giving Steve an apologetic look before she turned around and saw Brenda eyeing him up.

"Brenda, this is Steve," she said. "Steve, this is Brenda. She's my manager and Steve is the guy I was telling you about earlier."

"Is he?" Brenda wondered, amusement held on her face and Lizzie remained mute.

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Steve said, his head bowing slightly as Brenda wiped down the counter.

"Ma'am," she repeated. "You're right. He certainly is polite. I hope you're going to treat our little waitress right, sir."

"That is my full intention, ma'am," Steve promised her and Lizzie gave her eyes another roll.

"Come on, Steve," she motioned for him to follow her to the door. "We'd best be going."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Steve said back to Brenda who saluted him once before he followed Elizabeth out the diner.

"So, where do you want to go in Manhattan?" Elizabeth asked him as the sun began to slowly set down and behind the skyscrapers and he offered her his arm again. She took it once more, thinking back to Brenda's conversation with her.

"I have heard that Central Park is lovely," he said. "The only place of greenery within this concrete jungle."

"Ah yes, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of," Elizabeth joked with him and Steve looked back at her, wondering why she had just sung that. "It's Jay Z and Alicia Keys?" she said. "Empire State of Mind...a song all about New York."

"Jazzy?" Steve asked, repeating his name wrongly and Lizzie couldn't help but laugh at him and shake her head.

"Have you been living under the sea for the past decade?" she wondered from him and he chuckled at that, muttering under his breath;

"Something like that."

...

"You know, you seem to know your way around Central Park," she said to Steve who smiled wryly in front of him. "Considering you've been leading the way for the past ten minutes."

"Maybe I have a plan," he whispered and Elizabeth shook her head again as he stopped outside a small forested area off the beaten track. She looked into the darkening woods before seeing the picnic basket and the blanket laid there. She looked back at him and he shrugged, settling himself onto the blanket.

"I told you that there is still such a thing as a gentleman," he reminded her and she hesitantly sat down, wondering what he was doing as he found a can of cola and handed it to her. She rested it in her lap, sitting upright on her knees and he saw her hesitant expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked and she bit down on her bottom lip.

"What is this, Steve?" she asked and he looked around.

"I think this is a picnic," he told her and she shook her head quickly.

"No, I mean why are you doing this?" Lizzie rephrased and he drank some of his drink.

"I'm trying to show you that the world isn't as dark as you seem to think it is," Steve said and Elizabeth shook her head.

"No," she said. "Guys only do this for girls when they have ulterior motives. Like when they're trying to get into their pants and get them into bed."

Steve scoffed at hearing that and Elizabeth scrutinised him, slowly pushing herself to her feet.

"Is that what this is about?" she snapped. "You see I'm vulnerable and think wooing will work to get me into bed with you and then you can dump me?"

"Ma'am," Steve said gently, pushing himself up and she held a hand to silence him.

"And the manners? The ma'am and miss...you can stop it, Steve...I've met guys like you...I've met guys and they've all been the same. Even the one who I moved in with," Elizabeth said and glared at him. "I'll see you later."

"Elizabeth," Steve called after her, walking after her and catching her up in record time, his hand snaking around her wrist and she turned back to face him. "Would you listen to me?"

"Why?" she snapped.

"Because I don't want to get into your pants," he quoted her back to her. "I don't even agree with anything like that."

"Come off it, Steve. You're a guy in NY."

"And I'm one of the good ones," he assured her. "I don't believe in taking advantage of a woman. I don't believe in sleeping with them until after marriage when I've asked for a father's permission to do so. I don't consider this to mean anything other than me trying to show you that the world isn't tainted. I was trying to do something nice."

Elizabeth listened to him, hearing his morals and wondering if he was joking with her or being deadly serious. The look on his face told her that he was being deadly serious. His blue eyes held nothing other than sincerity and Elizabeth didn't believe it.

"You don't believe in sex before marriage?" she asked.

"I'm old fashioned," he explained.

"You can say that again," she mumbled back. "I..this type of thing happens in movies, Steve. Not in real life."

"Then why can't your life be like a movie?"

"Because it isn't," Lizzie replied. "I've come to accept that."

"From what I can see, you've been hurt," Steve admitted. "More than once, I am assuming."

"You assume correctly," Lizzie grumbled.

"Then let me do something nice for you, Ma...Elizabeth," he said her full name.

"Why?" she asked him. "You don't even know me, Steve."

"I know that you deserve to be shown some kindness," Steve promised her. "And that's all this is."

"Fine," Elizabeth gave up against him and he dropped her wrist from his large hand. "You're one of a kind, Steve. Do you know that?"

"I have an idea."

...

A/N: So I don't know whether to leave this where it is or make it a full blown story going into the Avengers. Reviews would be appreciated to let me know what you think, pretty please? This is new territory to me.

Anyway, thanks to Birdy Jones, Guest and Mika927 for reviewing the first part!


	3. Chapter 3

Steve was lonely. There was no other way to admit to himself the true nature of his feelings. Spending years frozen and then being told that you had to adjust in some strange city wasn't something which came easy to him. Yes, he'd been fine for the first day, walking around the city and getting to grips with it. He'd even looked up some old files which S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided him.

And then he'd come to find himself going stir crazy from not speaking to anyone. The last person he had spoken to before Elizabeth was the man in charge of the boxing gym which he went to when he had asked if he could sign up.

But, he'd then met Elizabeth. He'd met a young woman who seemed as lost as he felt. Of course, she wasn't lost. She knew everything which there was to know about modern technology and the life of a common New Yorker. But, everything else about her made her seem lost. Steve had sat on the picnic blanket, listening to her as she told him how she'd moved from Dakota to New York in the hope of making something of herself in the big city.

She'd left her parents in their terraced home and hoped to crack the big time, joking about how she'd be on the cover of the New York Times as the cities next big thing. It seems that it was all just a joke.

"So why didn't you manage to make it?" Steve wondered, lounging on the ground with his elbow propping him up, his hands playing with the can he held in them, twirling it around as Elizabeth knelt before him, her small hands holding onto a large bag of potato chips which Steve had discovered from a corner shop.

She looked around for a moment, her pointy shoulders rising up and then down as she sighed to herself and looked at the packet on her lap.

"I guess I never got the chance to," she admitted. "I came here with my bachelor's degree in Political Science and enough money to keep me afloat to rent a small apartment. I guess nowhere was looking for a journalist to do with Politics."

"What did you do then?" Steve pushed her, wondering what had seemed to go wrong in her life. He was also slightly confused as to why she would have a bachelor's degree. It sounded slightly odd to him. But, he managed to grasp the basics and how she wanted to be a journalist with a newspaper and report on Politics.

"I panicked," she admitted. "I began to think about going back to my mom and dad back in Dakota. But I told myself to try and find something. I didn't want to go back and look like the Big City had chewed me up and then spat me back out. I found a job waitressing in the afternoons and then I got the job at the accountancy firm. I was fresh out of college and full of determination."

"But you're not now?" Steve wondered and she shrugged again as his eyes danced over her emotionless face.

"I'd just started working as a waitress when I met Geoff," she told him. "He'd come in every morning and sit at the bar, smiling and flirting with me. And I flirted back...I was flattered...he was a steady guy and he seemed charming. I moved out of my dingy apartment and lived with him until well...last night..." she remembered and then looked back at Steve. "The more I think about it then the more it makes me realise that I should just go back home and do what mom and dad wanted me to do."

"And what's that?" Steve enquired and she snorted, pushing a hand through her hair and then moving her legs from underneath her, placing the packet onto the basket which was still open and full of food. She laid on her back, her elbows supporting her weight as she glanced at the canopy of the trees, the night sky appearing in her vision, stars glittering whilst Steve continued to stare at her.

"Go home and find a nice man to marry," she scoffed. "They always call me every week to remind me how their next door neighbour's son is doing well as a lawyer in some firm. Then they tell me that he's still single."

"But you've never been tempted?" Steve checked and she snorted.

"Never," she confirmed. "What's the point in running off home when it admits that I failed in NY?" she quizzed him and he remained still, not knowing the answer to the question which she had just asked him. "I've given up looking to be a journalist. I kind of stopped when I got into a routine."

"Why?"

"I needed money to pay the bills when I lived on my own...anyway...I'll need it again when I end up looking for another apartment to live in," she told him and Steve glanced up to the darkened sky along with her, admitting that it was beautiful. It didn't feel like they were in a city which had a population of just over eight million inhabitants. It felt relaxed and peaceful, something which Steve hadn't felt the past few days.

"I don't think you should give up," he told her. "If you want to report on what the President is doing then you should be able to. I'm sure he'd give you the time of day."

"Well, I think President Obama has better things to do than worry about me," Lizzie chuckled and Steve's brows furrowed together as she looked at him with a worried expression. "You do know who the President is, don't you?"

"Of course," he rolled her eyes back at her. No. He had no idea who the President was. "We've come a long way since President Roosevelt."

Elizabeth laughed again at hearing him before she tossed her head back, her hair falling behind her shoulders as she did so.

"I guess we have," she responded simply. "You know, I've heard if you lay here at night then you may catch a glimpse of the Iron Man himself."

"Iron Man?" Steve checked. Now, him, he had read of him. He was the son to Howard Stark and by the sounds of it he was every inch his father.

"Yeah, you know him? I've heard people say that he flies over the park at night before heading back to his tower. He's elusive. I know that much," Lizzie mumbled back.

"And people have nothing better to do than sit and wait for him?" Steve asked, finding it hard to believe. He wouldn't sit there and wait to see him. He couldn't understand why anyone else would. But, he couldn't understand anything else in the modern world.

"But," Lizzie drawled the word, "he's a superhero."

"A superhero," Steve repeated, feeling a smug grin wanting to come over himself as he did so. "Do you really think that there is such a thing as superheroes?" he asked her and she shrugged at him.

"I guess so," she spoke airily. "I mean, Captain America was the first one, wasn't he? I read about him in History once. How he fought for our country and saved millions of lives."

"And what did you think about him?" Steve asked her, slightly vain but uncaring as he did so. Elizabeth seemed to sigh at hearing him before she fully lay back on the blanket, her head hitting the hard floor as she did so. She closed her eyes, her nimble hands resting on her stomach, her thumbs stroking over the material of the red dress which she wore whilst her jacket fell to her sides, opening up. Steve continued to watch her as she looked serene and peaceful in the moment.

"Captain America?" she checked without opening her eyes. "I don't really remember that much to be honest. Whilst we were learning about him I was too obsessed over President Clinton and his policies." She admitted and Steve frowned slightly, his ego taking a slight knock as he did so. She smiled once, something seeming to click in her brain as she thought back to her history lessons and the trouble she used to get in with her then best friend. "I guess he was brave," she finally settled on that. "But, wasn't he just a superhero by chemicals or something?" she wondered. "I'd heard that's what happened. Anyway, that was a long time ago. Now we have the age of the self absorbed Iron Man."

"Not a fan then?" Steve grinned and she snorted, peeling one eye open to look at his boyish face.

"If he wants to go around and be a hero then that's fine with me," Elizabeth told him. "It has got nothing to do with me. I mean, I envy him slightly."

"Why?" Steve wondered, his face continuing to look confused whilst Lizzie rolled onto her side, her hand holding her head by her bent elbow, her eyes looking into his.

"At least he's in New York and he is doing something which he wants to. I'm here and I...well...I feel lost," she finally admitted, looking back up to the sky.

Steve continued to watch her for another moment, his mind whizzing through everything which he had just heard whilst she continued to look rather peaceful. Lost. She was lost just like him.

"Anyway," Elizabeth spoke, sitting back up and crossing her legs, looking at Steve as she pulled her dress down her legs. "You've done nothing but ask me questions all night."

"I'm interested," Steve shrugged awkwardly and Lizzie raised a brow.

"I'm really not that interesting as I'm sure you've found out by now," Elizabeth grinned at him and he chuckled.

"On the contrary, ma'am," he responded, "I find you interesting."

"You're just saying that."

"I don't say things that I don't truly mean, Miss Meyer," he assured her. "I'm an honest man."

"Yes," Elizabeth responded, "I'm still struggling to believe it."

"Ah," Steve said lowly, "you still think that I'm going to change?"

"You?" Elizabeth asked gently wondered, looking back at him. She had her eyes scouring his face, looking for any hint of deception inside of his baby blues. But, she couldn't see it. She couldn't see him as a typical man from New York. He...she couldn't explain it. There was something different about him. She just couldn't put her finger on it. "It's funny. I've known you for just about twenty four hours and I've told you things which I never even told my parents."

"Is that a good thing?" Steve asked, slightly worried if she couldn't tell her parents something. He knew some things were best of keeping a secret, but, his mother was his confidence. He could always rely on her.

"Depends on how you look at it," Elizabeth declared, wiping her hands before standing up, bending over to pack the picnic basket away as Steve sat up, his legs still stretched in front of him as he watched her.

"I understand that you'll want to stay at mine tonight?" he asked her and bit down on her lips, fiddling with the bobble around her wrist as she looked at him, hesitance in her gaze.

"I would have found somewhere else," she promised him, "but you kind of tricked me into a picnic."

"Believe me, I would never mislead a lady under negative intentions," he reassured her, standing up and picking up the basket in one hand as she folded the blanket away. "My apartment is still available to you. You should know that by now."

"I just don't want to intrude," she admitted to him.

"No," he shook his head, his blonde hair falling to the side slightly as he did so. "You're not intruding."

"Then thanks, again," she spoke, flattening her arms by her side as she tucked the blanket under her arm and held her clutch bag in her hand, walking by his side onto the main pathway of the park. She yawned once, realising that it had to be late at night and all she wanted to do was sleep. But, it was Saturday the next day; the only day of the week which she had off. She worked Sunday evenings at the diner before going into her normal routine on the Monday.

"You can stop thanking me," he assured her with a sly grin and she rubbed the back of her neck.

"What can I say?" she asked rhetorically. "I'm just too polite sometimes."

...

Lizzie woke up before Steve the next morning which didn't surprise her that much. She was always up at the crack of dawn and getting ready, even when she didn't have to go into work. But, she didn't hear Steve until he left his bedroom and moved into the bathroom as she was too busy trying to get back to sleep. When she heard the running water of the shower she shook her head, sitting up and dropping the duvet around her waist as she did so, looking around his apartment before resting her head back against the sofa, her yawns coming out thick and fast as she waited for him to finish in the bathroom.

She stood up, tidying her mess when she heard the door open. Quickly, she spun around, her eyes widening at what she saw and she could have sworn her jaw hit the flaw. Yes, she knew that he was impressively built. She'd clung onto his arm, for goodness sakes. But to see him with a simple towel around his waist and nothing more wasn't something which she was prepared for.

"Oh...God...look...I'm sorry," she spoke when she realised she was gawping at him. He shook his head at her, holding the towel securely.

"It's fine," he promised.

"No it's not," she responded. "I'm stood here ogling you whilst you stand there like that...wearing nothing but a towel. I mean...Jesus...how often do you work out?" she wondered and Steve opened his mouth but she shook her head before he had a chance to answer her question. "Don't answer that. It's not my business. You're just...I don't think I've ever seen anyone with so many muscles. Right, okay, I'm sorry," she spoke and Steve couldn't help the small smile which passed his lips as she hurried over to the bathroom and he took in the cotton long pyjamas which she wore along with her hair in a messy ponytail. "I'm going to use the bathroom and I'll see you in a bit," she told him, pointing to it with a thumb as she finally managed to drag her eyes from him and into the bathroom, shaking her head and turning red as she did so.

Steve continued to change into his normal grey top and he shrugged a shirt on over the top, a vague look of amusement dancing across his features as he did so. Elizabeth rejoined him in the living area once she had finished changing into her back polka dotted playsuit and dumped her blazer on top of it, her hair hanging in a ponytail.

"Do you want any breakfast?" Steve asked and she shook her head at him.

"No," she replied. "I've got something to show you though. You went to all that trouble last night so I thought I'd repay the favour."

"Isn't it a gentleman who is supposed to treat a lady?" he asked from her and she snorted at him, slipping her shoes onto her feet and shaking her head.

"You told me that you were new to New York, were you lying or did you just plan yesterday?"

"I'm new to this New York," he said and Lizzie nodded back at him. "I had heard of Central Park and its views though. Nothing else is familiar."

"Brilliant," Lizzie said. "Grab your coat. We're going sightseeing."

...

"You may not know who Jay Z is," Elizabeth said as she walked backwards along the side of the empty ferry and Steve watched her, his hands in his pockets as he did so. "But you can't tell me that you don't know the Statue of Liberty."

"I have heard of her," Steve responded coyly, taking a seat on a long wooden bench beside Lizzie as the other woman pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head and smiled across to him. "I've never been though."

"I came when I was smaller," she said. "My dad had to carry me up though. It's equivalent to walking up twenty flights of stairs."

"Is that all?" Steve asked. It didn't seem like a lot to him. Lizzie scoffed as the boat began to fill up and she reminisced about how she had been when she was with her parents and Steve told her that he was grateful for her to take time out and show him the sights. And he was. He was just grateful that he got to spend time with her.

She'd looked out onto the water for a few moments, a content look on her face as she did so and Steve watched her, knowing that she had tried to cover the bruise up on her cheek. She often looked at ease with her own thoughts.

Elizabeth had to admit that Steve was a complete and utter show off. He'd easily climbed the steps to the crown without breaking a sweat or panting. She, on the other hand, was completely done in by the time she was looking out the glass window and onto the city of New York.

"It's nice, isn't it?" she checked with him, standing by his side as the pair of them scanned the skyscrapers. Steve looked back to her as she remained staring straight ahead. "The view, I mean."

"It's quite something, Elizabeth," he responded and she mentally somersaulted at hearing him say her first name after ten minutes of debate on the drive to the ferry. "Are you sure you're okay? You still seem quite wheezy."

"Well, some of us don't spend days on end at the gym," she poked him in the arm, not affecting him in the slightest. He chuckled at hearing her before walking down the glass and continuing to look out of it, wondering where she was amongst the skyline.

He'd been given her file. He'd been told that she'd retired. He knew where she lived and he even had her phone number. He could see her whenever he wanted to. He just didn't think it would be right. And he was all for doing the right thing. He sighed to himself, resting a raised arm against the glass before he saw her come to stand next to him, her arms folded and she looked slightly hesitant.

"Steve?" she called his name. "Is something wrong?"

He took another moment to compose himself, the image of her face coming to his mind before he shook his head, looking at the blonde before him instead as she raised a slender brow.

"Nothing at all," he promised her and she leant against the wall, still looking at him and clearly not believing him.

"Are you sure? 'Cause you kind of looked deep in thought," she said slowly. "I'd know. I work in a coffee shop. We see it all the time and I guess I've kind of looked like that myself."

"When you're feeling lost?" he checked and she turned around to glance onto the sea as she shrugged.

"I guess," she responded. "You haven't told me much about yourself. I don't know what you're thinking."

"It's difficult," he told her slowly. "Maybe one day even I'll know what is happening."

"Okay," Lizzie replied cautiously. "You know that if you ever need anyone to talk to then I'm here, right? I know we've only known each other-"

"-Thanks," Steve interrupted her before she could go on her rant. She nodded once back to him and smiled weakly. "I know I can."

"Good." She said. "Now, we need to get going. We still have tonnes to do."

"There's more?"

"Of course," Lizzie spoke, sounding shocked. "Come on, we can get lost around New York together."

And for some reason, the offer seemed to really appeal to Steve.

...

A/N: So, I got a few followers and favourites last night and I'd like to thank Twinkie216 and spiffymac0617 for reviewing yesterday! Please do let me know what you think, I've never done a fic regarding the Avengers so any word on how to improve or what to do would be really appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

"You've never had a Chinese Takeaway?" Elizabeth checked with Steve as she stood outside the window to an estate agent, glancing through the glass and onto the apartments which were for sale. Steve stood by her side, looking at the properties. They ranged from small one bedroom apartments to five bedroom penthouses towering above the city in the sky. He looked at the prices of them, seeing how things had changed since when he was little.

Elizabeth had been grumbling as she checked the rent and finally settled on three for a shortlist, informing Steve that a Chinese would be in order that night after her tedious task. She'd spent the majority of the day showing him around New York. She took him to the Empire State building, going all the way to the top and looking over New York before she found Fifth Avenue, informing him that it had all the department stores which anyone would need.

Steve had seen her face light up as she glanced through the windows at the new dresses which she knew was above her price range. He could never understand women and their desire to be up to date with fashion. The dresses which she was looking at came well above the knee on the mannequin and Steve had shaken his head, pushing his hand through his hair as a contented sigh escaped her lips.

She's shown him the headquarters of the United Nation, telling him that it was built after the Second World War when the UN was after somewhere to set up in New York. She'd told him how she'd love to work in there one day, following the great figures of Politics around and having a say in policies.

Steve had simply watched her and her enthusiasm until she'd told him how she really did need to find a new apartment. And then she'd discovered that he'd never had a Chinese.

"No," he said in answer to her question. "I can't say that I've ever had a Chinese takeaway. Is the cuisine of China just as favourable as that of America?"

"Just as good," she promised him, stepping into the estate agent's before Steve had his chance to open the door for her. "I'll order one tonight for us. You'll love it."

"I don't doubt," Steve said as she continued to look at the properties on the walls inside of the building. Couples and singletons sat in front of four desks which were lined up, each of them scouring for a new place to live in New York City. Lizzie continued her looking as Steve occasionally glanced across to her. "Everything which you've shown me today has been something which I've loved."

"Even Fifth Avenue?" she wondered. "You looked slightly worried about the shops."

"Well, I can't say that I've ever been one for shopping," he admitted to her. "I don't particularly understand fashion."

"You look fine to me," Elizabeth shrugged and he chuckled at hearing her. "I mean, not many men can pull of checker shirts. Well, none that I really know of."

"Thank you very much," Steve told her and she grinned before someone moved to her side and beamed at her.

"Hi there," she said lightly. "Are you two looking to buy somewhere?"

"Oh," Lizzie shook her head as Steve remained silent. "No, it's just for me. I've picked three from outside. I just need to look at the rent and do the math."

"I see." The woman said, eyeing up Steve as she did so. Elizabeth had to resist the urge to roll her eyes whilst Steve seemed to not understand why the woman was looking at him like she was. Was he so oblivious to their flirting? Elizabeth didn't understand. She just knew that she wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. "Well, if you want to take a seat then I can make some calls and have a look over the accounts for you and your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend, either," Elizabeth told her, knowing that she was just digging for dirt on their relationship. Elizabeth quickly allowed her eyes to roll that time.

"Brilliant," the woman beamed. She was clearly trying to seem embarrassed but failing miserably.

Elizabeth took a seat and Steve remained stood behind her, not too sure what he should be doing.

She sat there for the next two hours, listening as the woman asked her questions about what type of place she was looking for and where it had to be near. Elizabeth had answered dutifully and Steve had wondered why she needed to know so much about Elizabeth. Finally, she settled on somewhere to live .It was a one bedroom flat above a shop one block from where she worked.

She'd told the woman she didn't want to see it. Anywhere would do. She just needed somewhere to live. Intruding on Steve's life wasn't something which she enjoyed doing. He told her that he didn't mind, but, she did.

"Right, we'd best get going," Elizabeth said when she stood up tall and Steve looked at her. "Come on, Steve."

Steve dutifully followed Elizabeth out of the building after nodding at the woman and Elizabeth waited for him to catch up.

"Are you completely unaware of how the opposite sex look at you?" she wondered from him and he arched a brow whilst looking at her. She shook her head at his confusion.

"I can't say that it has ever bothered me before," Steve admitted to her and she began to walk by his side. "I wasn't always like this."

"Were you not?" Elizabeth asked him, finding it quite hard to believe from him.

"No," he admitted. "I used to be quite scrawny, to be honest. Just little Steve Rogers from Brooklyn."

"Then what happened?" she asked him with a grin. "You turned into bulking Steve Rogers from Brooklyn?"

"Something like that," Rogers grinned. "Anyway, I thought that we were going to get a Chinese."

"We were," Elizabeth nodded.

...

"You're right," Steve informed Elizabeth as they walked back into the apartment building and he smelled the food which she was carrying her hand in a plastic bag. "It does smell good."

"I told you," Elizabeth laughed once at him as they took to the steps, both of them still caught up in conversation and almost not noticing the man they had bumped into on the steps.

Elizabeth instantly stopped laughing when she saw him stood there, his beady brown eyes cast down onto the pair of them and Steve followed her gaze, his arm slowly moving onto the small of her back, assuring her that nothing was going to happen as Geoff stood there, a smart suit on his body and his keys held in his hands.

"You moved on quickly," Geoff spat at her, noting the bruise which had formed on her cheek from him hitting her and slamming her against the wall. "I wasn't aware that you two knew each other."

"We didn't," Elizabeth responded. "Steve took me in when you kicked me out with nowhere to live. You remember that, don't you?" she checked, her brow raised and her voice full of venom as she spoke to him and he rolled his eyes, looking at Steve as he did so.

"You can have her," he assured him. "She doesn't put out easily. She's a frigid bitch."

"I've had about enough of you," Steve suddenly said, the normally meek and polite mannered man looking at Geoff with narrowed eyes and annoyance whilst the other man snorted at hearing that, wondering if the blonde honestly thought that he was scared of him. "You're very disrespectful."

"Leave it, Steve," Elizabeth told him, her voice low and controlling as she rested a hand onto his arm. "He's not worth it."

"Yeah, Steve, listen to the cow there," Geoff demanded and Steve clenched his hand into a fist, preparing to hit the man, but, he didn't get the chance to. Elizabeth dropped the food onto the floor and allowed her hand to fly up, hitting his cheek and causing contact as Steve watched with wide eyes and a shocked expression at what he had just seen.

"Just get lost, Geoff," Elizabeth demanded, holding her hand as he clasped onto his cheek. "I should have done that before."

"You're nothing, do you understand me, Lizzie?" he asked her, pointing his finger in her direction. Steve quickly grabbed onto his wrist and removed his hand from her direction.

"It is rude to point," he simply told him and Geoff snatched his arm from his hold, glaring at the pair of them as he did so. Quickly, he shook his head and chuckled, walking down the steps and calling back up to the pair of them as he did so.

"I'll leave the rest of your stuff outside lover boys for you!"

"Don't bother," Lizzie hissed, picking up the plastic bag and beginning to walk up the steps.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked from her and she nodded, running a shaking hand through her hair as he unlocked his apartment door and allowed her inside. He quickly turned the light on and heard her laugh hysterically.

"I hit him," she giggled, placing the food in the kitchen and resting her hands onto the worktop, the laugh still echoing through the room as Steve wondered if she was suffering from some form of mental breakdown. "God...I hit someone...I've never hit someone...it felt good...so good..." she commented and Steve looked sceptical.

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Steve asked and she nodded, shrugging off his concern.

"I'm fine," she said, her laughs dying down and Steve quickly had a thought. "Is it supposed to feel this good hitting someone?"

"I have something which I think you might like, "Steve suggested lightly and she looked at him again, her mouth now in a firm line. "Come on."

"But the food," Lizzie complained and saw how eager he was. "Doesn't matter. We can put it in the microwave when we come back."

He scowled at hearing her mention that machine, realising that he was ready to hit something at the mere thought of it.

...

"It's deserted," Elizabeth informed him as soon as she leant against the boxing ring, the side of it hard against her backside as she did so. Steve was walking out from behind the wings, a punching bag on top of his shoulder as she stood up tall and watched him.

"How the hell are you carrying that thing?" she asked and he chuckled. Hopefully he wouldn't break it in her presence. That would create quite the scene.

"I'm not that weak," he informed her and she scowled lightly. He had a point.

"You could have warned me that we were coming to the gym," she said, looking around the room. She couldn't help but notice how it seemed extremely old fashioned, not like the modern gym down the road from the accountants where she got lost just looking at all the different settings available. No, this seemed more down to earth. More like Steve. "I'm not exactly dressed for this, am I?"

"Good point," Steve admitted, shrugging out of his leather jacket and glancing over her playsuit as he hung the bag up. He threw his jacket onto the ring as she stood the other side of the bag and prodded it with her hand.

"Do you come here often?" she wondered and he nodded.

"Every day."

"No wonder you're still so fit," she mumbled. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Well, I thought that if you're going to go around and keep punching your exes then you should know how to punch properly," he joked with her and she rolled her eyes.

"I didn't punch. I slapped. There is a difference."

"Trust me," Steve said, "a punch would have felt more satisfying."

"You're probably right," Elizabeth nodded after a second of thinking. There had to be some other reason for Steve to bring her to a boxing ring. And she was right. She'd shown him New York and he wanted to show her what he did. He didn't know why. He also thought that it might help her. It helped him to train. It took his mind off of things. It was a distraction just like Elizabeth was becoming.

"Don't do that," Steve stopped her, taking hold of her wrist into his hands and uncurling her clenched fingers. "You never punch with your thumb inside of your fist. You have more of a chance or breaking it."

"Okay," Elizabeth said, changing her fingers as Steve stood behind her, his arms folded and he watched as she pulled her hand back and he shook his head, stepping closer and holding onto her elbow, pulling it back more.

"Push your feet apart," he demanded her and she did as he had said before he drew her elbow back further. "You need to think that you're punching through something, okay? Put all your energy behind it and then hit."

"I got it," she assured him and he released her from his hold, allowing her to quickly punch at the bag, causing it to swing about five centimetres.

"That was shocking," she mumbled and Steve chuckled, placing his fist over his mouth to stop himself from laughing at loud as she turned back to look at him, her face smiling softly.

She clearly wasn't cut out for physical exercise. She was small and dainty. Not like Peggy.

Steve instantly felt himself frown as she turned back around and hit it again, murmuring to herself as his mind wandered off to Peggy. He'd done well enough not to think about her whilst he had been with Elizabeth. She'd taken his mind off of the Agent and the life which he had with her. And that was a difficult task in itself. He sighed softly, standing on the spot and thinking back to that moment in the plane.

_A week next Saturday at the Stork Club...eight o'clock on the dot...don't you dare be late._

He didn't think that he would ever know how to dance. He didn't want to know how to dance. He'd missed his date and he'd missed his chance.

"Steve," her voice snapped him from his daze and he found her standing on the other side of the bag, her upper body tilted to the side to look at him. "Were you listening to anything which I'd just said?"

"Sorry," Steve mumbled. "I was just daydreaming."

"Yeah," Lizzie replied, "you've done that quite a bit today."

"Have I?" Steve asked her. He hadn't consciously been doing it. "Sorry."

"You don't need to apologise," she informed him, resting her shoulder against the swinging material as she looked at him. "Is something wrong?"

"I was just thinking," he told her honestly before moving across the room and grabbing his jacket from where he'd dropped it. Her earlier words rang back to him as he continued to think.

_Prince Charming doesn't exist. There's no princess in a tower who need rescuing. There's no damsel in distress nowadays._

Maybe she was right. Peggy certainly hadn't been a damsel in distress. She could handle her own and so could Elizabeth. He was coming to see that. And maybe Prince Charming wasn't real. Maybe he was wrong. He should have been there for Peggy and his date. He should have been there to make sure that she was okay. But, he wasn't. He hadn't been there for her and he didn't think that she would have needed him in the end. She was retired somewhere and he didn't have the guts to find out where. He certainly didn't feel like some Prince Charming. Not as he stood there and clenched his jacket in his hands.

"We should be going," Steve suddenly declared. "It's getting late and we still have food at my place."

"Yeah," Elizabeth agreed lamely with him, wondering what had gotten into him. "I'm just going to go and use the toilet."

"Okay," Steve said and noticed how goose bumps rose on her arm. "Here, take this, you're cold."

"I'll be fine," Elizabeth said, rejecting his jacket as she rubbed her arms up and down her arms. "I'll be back in a moment."

Steve watched as she walked away and his mind began to work overtime again as he hit the punch bag in front of him, not giving up until it broke and he heard a voice call out to him.

"Having trouble sleeping?"

...

A/N: So, thank you to anyone who is bothering to read this! It means a lot to me if you've got this far and are still interested. But, reviews would be really nice too, so please, do let me know what you think so far, pretty please?


	5. Chapter 5

"Was someone just here?" Elizabeth asked from Steve as he remained silent for a moment, holding his jacket over his shoulder when he saw her remerge from the bathroom, her hands wiping the shorts to her playsuit due to the lack of toilet roll and a hand drier in the women's toilets. Steve noted the sweeping long leather jacket move around the corner as Elizabeth looked at him and he shook his head.

"It was no one," he promised her, thinking back to what had just happened and the conversation rung through his ears as he took in what the director had just told him. The tesseract had been taken. He knew that they should have left it in the ocean. But, when did anyone ever listen to him in this modern world? He supposed never.

Shaking his head at her, he stood tall, undoing a button to his shirt and revealing the grey top he had on underneath. Elizabeth nodded back at him before he softly placed his jacket over her shoulders and the pair of them began to walk from the building. She instantly began to protest, but, Steve raised his hand, silencing her complaints for they were not needed at that moment in time.

"You're wearing something which is far too cold for New York at this time of night," he told her and she closed her mouth, her jaw snapping shut as she sighed and nodded at him, realising that no wasn't an answer. She could see why he had been a soldier. He was very well mannered and very indignant towards doing the right thing and having his own way.

"Thanks," Elizabeth mumbled. "Don't come crying to me if you get a cold, though."

"I don't intend on doing so," Steve responded to her and she chuckled, walking by his side through the breezy evening, the pair of them wrapped up in their own thoughts.

Steve had another two days before he had to leave for his mission and find out what had happened to the tesseract. He supposed he was thankful for the warning and it gave him time to help Elizabeth move into her new flat and tell her that he had to go away for a few days. Would she care if he had to go away for a few days? He didn't know. He thought that she might. The pair of them seemed to really have bonded and he considered her a friend. And she was the only one which he had at that moment in time.

...

"It's...well...it's not much," Elizabeth declared as she walked into the one bedroom flat. Steve stood behind her, dropping her bag onto the floor as she hit a light switch, illuminating the room with one single bulb which needed a lampshade putting onto it. She looked around, her finger running over the windowsill as she peered onto the street. The window was covered in dirt and she knew that it needed a good clean if she was to ever see the light of day in the apartment. Shockingly, Steve couldn't see how she could even spend a moment in the dingy place. He'd have run a mile from it. The conditions in the War had been better.

"Your kitchen cabinet seems to be falling off," Steve commented, moving into the small area in the corner which they had classed as a kitchen in the brochure. All he saw was a worktop covered in dust and an old oven along with a fridge. She frowned once, walking over to him and standing by his side, opening the door as it fell off suddenly and Steve caught it in one swift motion, placing it down onto the floor as Elizabeth laughed.

"Your apartment is falling apart," Steve informed her and she continued to giggle.

"If I don't laugh then I will cry," she assured him and he smirked back at her as she dropped her hands to her hips and walked to the bedroom, pushing the door open to simply see a built in wardrobe and nothing else. The bathroom was just in need of a clean and some tidying. She knew that she had to clean it before it got infected with anything worse than it had then.

"I should get going," Elizabeth told Steve. "I have some furniture to buy from a department store to make the place look better. God only knows how much that is going to cost me," she complained to him, grabbing onto the simple black clutch bag which she carried around with her nearly all the time. He nodded once, knowing that an hour in the gym was necessary if he was going to don the suit again.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Steve asked her, taking another look around the flat and Elizabeth nodded and threw in a nonchalant shrug for good measure. She didn't need Steve to worry about her. She had her parents doing that back in Dakota and worrying never did anyone any good, as she knew from past experience.

"I'll be fine," she promised him. "I'm just going to go shopping and come home, unpack some bits and head off to work at the coffee shop."

"You're working tonight?" Steve checked and she nodded back to him again, checking that her purse was inside of her clutch before looking back up into his blue eyes.

"It's Sunday night and no one willingly wants to work it. I volunteered the other night. I need the money so the extra hours come in handy," she informed him, her voice one of reluctance as she spoke about working the extra hours. She'd rather spend her Sunday night curled up and watching trashy TV. She just knew that it wasn't an option.

"I'll come down after my training this evening then," Steve told her and she nodded at him, a small smile on her face as she did so. He continued to look at her and she nervously looked back over to him, wondering what was truly going on between them. "Just to check that everything is okay."

"You don't need to check up on me," Elizabeth responded and Steve stepped out the door to her flat as she locked up, placing the key onto the key ring which had been going spare. Steve noted the small version of the Statue of Liberty dangling off her key and he smiled. It looked old and battered. He guessed that she must have bought it the previous time she had been with her parents. "I can take care of myself."

"I know," he said. "If I said that I _wanted_ to check up on you, would that make it sound any better?"

"It makes you sound a bit more like a stalker," Lizzie joked with him and he looked worried for a moment before she shook her head at him, looking to the floor to hide her smile and think about something. "But, I'd like it if you came down for coffee. Just because I live one block away doesn't mean that we can't talk and hang out."

Hang out. Steve thought for a moment and agreed with her, a hand tucking his blonde hair behind his ear as they walked down the staircase of the apartment block and back onto the busy street, the pair of them knowing that they had to go their separate ways for different reasons.

Steve remained stood where he was, realising that he hadn't really said a proper and formal goodbye to her in the past few days. She'd either dashed off or made her leave. Now, they were both stood there and looking stuck for words. Luckily, Lizzie decided to make the first move when she sensed that Steve wouldn't.

"So, thanks again for everything that you've done," Elizabeth spoke softly.

"Don't mention it," he shrugged off her thanks and she nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"No, I really do mean it, Steve," she assured him. "I really don't know what I'd have done if you weren't there."

"You would have managed." He told her simply. "You're a strong woman, but, I'm glad that I could be of assistance."

"Anyway, we're making it sound like this is a goodbye," Elizabeth laughed lightly to him and he shook his head, clasping his hands behind his back as he did so and rocking back and forth on his heels.

"I'd like to think it's not."

"It isn't," she confirmed. "I'll see you tonight for coffee."

"What time do you finish?"

"Half past ten," she said, shuddering at the mere thought of it and Steve nodded, making a mental note of the time before Elizabeth looked at him again. "So, I'll see you tonight."

"You will," he replied with an incline of his head and Elizabeth took her moment to stand up tall, slowly pressing her lips to his cheek, her hand resting on his arm to steady herself as she did so and Steve remained relaxed on the outside at the pressure of her lips against his skin.

She pulled back after a moment, walking backwards a few steps down the sidewalk before calling out to him;

"I'll see you tonight then," she waved with one hand and then turned on her heel, gracefully blending into the throws of people whilst he remained stood where he was for a second, shaking his head and telling his stomach to calm down mentally.

...

"Captain."

Steve instantly stopped hitting the punch bag as the sweat dropped down his forehead. That word hadn't been used in a long time around him. The gym was deserted, no one in sight apart from the man dressed in the suit and tie stood before Steve, looking slightly giddy, if anything.

"I'm Agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D." he established himself and Steve nodded, watching him as he wiped the sweat with the back of his hand. He would have offered the man it to shake but it wasn't really appropriate considering he was moist with his own sweat. "It's an honour to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Steve replied. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," Coulson said simply. There was no point to beating around the bush, especially not when it came to the matter of the tesseract. "We need you to start the mission now. It seems we're preparing earlier than had been expected."

"You need me to come now?" Steve checked, his eyes glancing up to the clock on the wall which informed him of the time and Coulson nodded to confirm his suspicions.

"We do, Captain. Director Fury has insisted that I bring you back with me. I have orders to follow. I hope you appreciate that."

"I do," Steve nodded, wondering it could wait an hour. But, his wondering was put out when Coulson spoke again.

"I hope you know that every minute wasted is one which could affect us in the future," he informed Steve who sighed, realising that he didn't have any option but to go with Agent Coulson. He sighed to himself and nodded, picking up his gym bag and draping his towel over the back of his neck as he wondered how to tell Elizabeth he was leaving town for a couple of days. He didn't have her number and he didn't have time to go to the coffee shop himself.

"I'll clean up and then we can leave, Agent," Steve told the man simply. "May we take a detour past a coffee shop, though?"

"Detours aren't really in the plan, Captain," he told Steve who shook his head, his eyes wide and looking pleadingly at the Agent.

"I would not ask unless I had to," he said and Coulson snapped, almost swooning under Steve's gaze as he waved a hand nonchalantly.

"Go on then," he shrugged. "It'll have to be quick."

"Thank you."

...

Steve jumped from the back of the car as the black machine pulled up alongside the coffee house and Steve bailed from it as it slowly pulled to a halt. Coulson moved over to the window, looking out of it to see the Captain move into the building, his hands by his sides as he looked around quickly for someone.

Steve inhaled the sharp smell of coffee before he saw a woman behind the counter and he walked over to her as she stopped her cleaning of the coffee machine. Clearly she was preparing to shut early.

"Excuse me, ma'am," Steve said and the woman turned around. She didn't look to be older than twenty five and she didn't look like she wanted to be at work. But, her eyes kind of brightened up when she saw Steve. She supposed most women had the same reaction. It would only be deemed natural, she guessed.

"How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Elizabeth. Elizabeth Meyer," he clarified and the girl nodded once, knowing that Lizzie had dashed off to the shop next door for some headache tablets, complaining about her pounding head before Brenda sent her out.

"She's just popped out. Can I take a message for her?"

"Can you tell her that...well..." Steve wondered what to say. "Tell her that I've gone away on business for a few days. Steve, that is."

"Yeah, sure," she shrugged and Steve looked disappointed as he moved out the building to Coulson in his car. He continued to look around for her, hoping that she would suddenly appear out of nowhere so that he could hastily explain to her himself. But, he had no such luck. It was just one more date which he had to miss.

...

"A guy came in here five minutes ago," the brunette informed the blonde when she saw her walk back into the shop, her pink uniform slightly crumpled and her hair falling from the ponytail which it was pulled up in. Her hand rested on her forehead, soothing it and trying to make the pain go away, but failing terribly.

"Steve?" Lizzie asked, thinking that he could be the only guy who would have come in.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "He said that he had to go away on business for a couple of days."

"What?" Elizabeth asked, none of that sounding right as the other girl shrugged and went back to cleaning down the coffee machine whilst Lizzie remained in a puzzled state. "Business?"

"That's what he said," she called back over her shoulder. "Hey, how did you manage to bag a guy as good looking as that?"

"I didn't."

"Well is he single?"

Elizabeth didn't answer as she trudged off to the back room and began to grab her coat as she pottered around in the kitchen for the rest of her shift, tidying the cups and plates away as she thought back to Steve. He said that he worked in the army. Maybe they had called him away for a few days? She didn't really know. What she did know was the feeling of disappointment as she walked past the empty booth which she could imagine him sat in.

...

A/N: Thank you so, so much to every single one of my reviewers! So glad that you're enjoying it and so much more to come! And to everyone who has favourite and follow, thank you!

Do let me know what you think, please?


	6. Chapter 6

Elizabeth lightly swore to herself as she dragged the new furniture around her flat the next evening after the delivery van had dropped it off. It was all wrapped in bubble wrap and ready to be used. All she had to do was place it where she wanted it and make sure it was clean. She'd spent the time she had free to clean the place from top to bottom, her mind wandering from Steve as she did so.

But, as she dragged the cheap wooden coffee table into the centre of the living room she couldn't help but think of how Steve would easily have been able to move it. Nothing was complete once she had deduced that she'd had enough at ten at night. She'd collapsed onto the small leather sofa, laying down and looking around the apartment. She still needed pots and pans along with homely touches. She supposed it would all come in time.

And then she allowed her mind to move back onto Steve and she pondered what he was doing on business. Surely the hadn't decided to send him onto the front line that quickly. He'd need notice if he was to be going back out into the war. And he wouldn't have upped and left without telling her. Well, she hoped that he wouldn't.

Maybe there was business. Or, maybe, Steve had made an excuse to get rid of her. She supposed that she had been rather bold and seemed quite clingy to him. But, he told her that it wasn't a problem. Lizzie was becoming to realise that maybe he was too polite to ask her to leave him alone and this was his way of doing so. She'd go around to his apartment, but, if her theory was right, then he didn't want anything to do with her. She shook her head quickly, telling herself that it wasn't right and that Steve didn't seem like a type of guy who would do that.

Maybe she didn't know him at all. She'd only met him a couple of days ago. She couldn't really say that she knew him at all. No, she didn't know what was going on. It was just her hyperactive mind springing into action as what happened too often for her liking.

...

Steve remained seated at the table, looking around as the commotion in the bridge of the hellicarrier continued going on as the machine floated above the land, invisible and unseen. Steve had to admit that he was impressed. He knew that technology had moved on, but he had no idea that it was to this extent. He'd had to give Fury another ten dollars due to sheer impressiveness. He remained seat, his arm resting on the table as his fingers drummed against the table out of wondering.

They knew that they were trying to apprehend Loki and Steve doubted that it would take them long to find him if he wasn't hiding. They seemed to have the technology to do so.

Steve's eyes glanced upward as he watched Dr Bruce Banner wandering around and looking at the technology, his arms folded and his hand scratching at his chin as if he was nervous about something. He knew about how the man could turn into Giant Green man, but that didn't bother Steve. The Doctor seemed to have it under control and as long as he did then that didn't present a problem to anyone else.

He couldn't quite understand why they hadn't left the tesseract at the bottom of the ocean after everything which Steve had gone through. It all seemed like a complete waste of time the more he thought about it. He shook his head, trying not to dwell on it too much.

Instead his mind went back onto Elizabeth and he hoped that she didn't think anything less of him. He knew how it looked. He'd run off, telling her that he had business to attend to, but, she didn't even know what business he would have. She'd find it suspicious and Steve knew how she felt about the male species already.

"You look lost in thought," a sudden voice brought Steve out of his daze and he looked onto the woman who was taking a seat next to him. She crossed her legs underneath the table as Steve smiled politely at her.

"Just thinking, ma'am," he confirmed and she remained tight lipped, not saying anything back to him for a moment as she wondered what he must have been thinking about.

"It's different, isn't it?" she checked with him, being polite back to him. He deserved that much. She'd thought about it and it couldn't be easy for him to have to deal with the modern day world. Even she had to admit that she didn't enjoy dealing with it that often. "The world's changed. No wonder you look lost."

"It has, ma'am," Steve admitted to her. "I'm trying not to dwell on it too much. What good will it do me to sit here and mope about what I have lost?" he asked her and she blinked profusely at him. She'd seen him and she knew that he looked lost. She had him down as the type of guy going through a self pitying stage. But then she remembered that he was the Captain America. Feeling sorry for himself wasn't a part of his soldier appearance.

"You must have been thinking of something pretty deep then," she told him, pulling a hand through her red curls before she turned back to look at him. "You've been sat in the same spot for the past five minutes and haven't said anything. Banner looks like he's about to explode from being too cautious. The sooner he gets to his lab the better. But you? You're sat here and nothing seems to faze you. Not even Coulson's swooning."

Steve chuckled as he heard about the Agent. He'd asked him if he could sign his trading cards and Steve thought that was vaguely odd. He'd said that it wouldn't be a problem and he'd watched as the Agent followed him around. He appeared to have an admirer.

"Agent Coulson is a good man," Steve declared. "I can see that. I just find it strange that I am on trading cards."

"You're basically everywhere," she rolled her eyes at the thought. "You're the first superhero. Even after seventy years people still talk about you in text books and learn about you in History. Everyone has heard of you and knows about you."

"Not everyone," Steve mumbled under his breath and Natasha struggled to catch what he had just said. She leant forwards again, resting her elbows onto her thigh and dropping her chin into her hands as Steve glanced out the window and onto the white cloud which was moving past them.

"I see," Natasha said and Steve's eyes glanced back at her. "What do you mean by not everyone?"

"It's nothing," Steve said to her with a shake of his head. "I was just being rude and muttering to myself, ma'am."

"Don't say that I didn't ask," she shrugged at him, standing up again and Steve sighed to himself, shaking his head once again as he looked up to her, wondering what she believed in. He wondered if every woman had the same views that Elizabeth did. Or maybe it was just her. He didn't really know what to think about the young woman. He hadn't been around for too long in this new age.

"I was just reminiscing, ma'am," Steve suddenly told her and she sat back down, interested as to what Fury had told her. He had mentioned a woman being in the boxing gym with him, but, Rogers had remained tight lipped, not saying anything to Fury about her.

Fury thought that Natasha could break him and find out if she was threat to S.H.I.E.L.D. or if she knew anything about them. He'd relied on her to use her feminine charm. Not that she really had any of that left after her years in the field. She used it when she needed to and that was about all.

"A woman I met the other day informed me that she had heard of Captain America. She didn't seem overly thrilled with him like they did back in my day."

"That was when you were a celebrity, Captain Rogers," Natasha shrugged at him. "Like all celebrities, they come and go and some make an impression. You did the latter, just not to an extent that everyone in the modern world cares."

"I appreciate that, ma'am," Steve said. "I'm just finding it hard to come to terms with."

"Well, it might not be that bad," Natasha shrugged at him. "I mean, you've met a new and modern woman already."

"Elizabeth is a very opinionated individual," Steve simply spoke back and Natasha arched a brow. If he was calling her by her first name and not addressing her with a title then she must mean something. "Her morals are completely different to ones of women who I have previously met."

"How so?" Romanoff wondered, being blunt and to the point.

"She doesn't...well..." Steve mumbled. No. His conversation with Elizabeth was just for him to know about. He didn't want to go around talking about her. It wasn't polite or pleasant. It wasn't Steve. "I suppose she's a modern woman."

"As so many of us are," Romanoff mumbled; realising that Steve was being a gentleman. He didn't speak about anyone behind their backs. Natasha began to wonder if he'd survive in the modern life he now had. "Well, she must have taken you back. You didn't call her by her surname or address her."

"She doesn't particularly like me to call her Miss Meyer," Steve grinned at the memory of their debate and she chuckled, standing up again.

"Do you consider her a friend?" Natasha asked him and Steve nodded after a moment of thinking.

"I'd like to think so."

Natasha nodded and moved off to where Fury stood. The man continued to look straight ahead as she did the same, standing by his side and glancing onto the sea in the distance.

"She's called Elizabeth Meyer," she simply informed Fury. "You do a background check if you want to."

"Did he not tell you anymore?"

"You know what he's like," Romanoff shrugged nonchalantly. "He's an old fashioned guy. He won't betray a woman like that even though she wouldn't know we'd been speaking of her. He considers her a friend and he said that she isn't really knowledgeable of Captain America. I doubt he's told her about us. And I doubt she's a threat if he sees her as an acquaintance."

"I'll have Agent Hill do a background on her," Fury said. He didn't take risks. He never liked to.

"Sir!" an Agent suddenly called out and Fury turned his attention onto him as he looked slightly giddy. "We have a hit. Loki is in Germany."

"He's not exactly hiding," Banner suddenly said, standing next to the screen as Steve moved, joining in the commotion.

"Maybe that's his plan," Steve said and Fury nodded in agreement.

"You're up, Captain," he spoke to Steve who nodded, ready to don the stars and stripes for one more time.

...

A/N: So, thank you to everyone reading and please do let me know what you think! Having so much fun writing this at the moment, hope you're enjoying it!


	7. Chapter 7

Elizabeth stood in the coffee shop on the Monday night, wiping down the counter as Brenda stood behind her, cleaning the coffee machine whilst she served the two men who had been sat there for the past hour. She knew there type. They were the type of men who lived alone and had nothing going for them except for the small flat which they had and the substandard job of working in small shops or a factory.

She knew most types of people from just looking at them and being able to deduce who they were and what they did. She'd also watched the girl sat in the booth by herself, checking her phone every two minutes and glancing around nervously. Elizabeth filled up another cup of coffee as Brenda grumbled about the machine being grungy.

"I didn't order another coffee," the girl said as Elizabeth shrugged and set it down in front of her, her hand moving onto her hip as she did so.

"Well, I think you're waiting for someone and you don't want to sit here with an empty cup," Elizabeth informed her and the girl smiled weakly as Elizabeth grabbed onto the empty cup and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as the black haired girl in front of her checked her phone again, the screen lighting up as she pressed a button.

"Thanks," the girl said. "He's...well...he's a guy from my math class. He said that he'd be here at ten."

Lizzie checked the silver watch on her wrist and smiled encouragingly at the young girl.

"It's only five to ten," she spoke back. "Men are always late and never prompt."

"Yeah, that's what my mom said," the girl scoffed and shook her head as Lizzie smiled once and walked away with the empty cup, placing it in the small hatch where they stored the cutlery and cups which they needed to wash as Brenda turned around and looked at her.

"The sooner the boss here buys a new coffee machine the better," she informed Elizabeth who smiled back at her, continuing her wiping down of shelves underneath the bar and counter. "This one is about as old as me and as creaky as me."

"Aw, Brenda," Lizzie said, looking sympathetically at the elder woman as she spoke. "You're young enough to keep up with the rest of us."

"Hey, sugar," the blonde man sat at the bar called out and Brenda held her hands up, palms outwards as she looked at Lizzie.

"He's definitely talking to you, honey," she said to Lizzie who rolled her eyes and turned around, plastering a smile onto her features before she walked over to where they sat, resting her elbow against the bar as they looked at her.

"Can we get another coffee over here and a donut?" he asked her and Lizzie couldn't help but think how the word please wouldn't go amiss. Steve would have said please. She scolded herself mentally, telling her mind that Steve wasn't around and she wasn't sure why not.

"Coming right up," Elizabeth said and turned around, taking their empty cups with her and placing it to join the young girls who sat in the hatch. She placed two clean cups under the machine, waiting for them to fill up before she placed two donuts onto plates and handed them to the men.

"What time do you get off, babe?" the blonde asked Elizabeth and she shook her head at him as she placed the coffee's down and grabbed onto the dishcloth which she'd been using, wiping down the donut counter.

"I'm busy," she told them and they chuckled, shaking their heads.

"Come on, beautiful," he urged her and Elizabeth shook her head again. "We can show you things you've never seen before."

"I bet you can," Elizabeth told him and Brenda watched on, remaining tight lipped as Elizabeth managed to hold her own. "Look, I'm not interested."

"I'm sure we can changed your mind," one of them chuckled and Brenda decided to jump in, her hands dropping to her hips as she glared at them. She pointed back and forth at the pair of them, her eyes glaring dangerously.

"Listen, boys," she barked. "She's not interested. She's already got some man back at home so leave her be. Understand me?"

The boys rolled their eyes and glanced to each other, not saying anything in response to what Brenda had said as Elizabeth mouthed a silent thank you at the woman and she smiled back, nodding sternly as the chime above the door went and Lizzie instantly turned around. She'd been doing that all day and she wasn't sure why. It wasn't like Steve was going to walk through the door. She needed to stop being so childish.

This time it was a young boy who walked over to where the black haired girl sat. He slid down into the same seat as hers instead of on the other side of the booth. His arm slipped around her shoulders and he kissed her gently as Brenda and Elizabeth looked one for a moment.

"Sickening, isn't it?" Brenda checked with a sly grin and Lizzie snapped out of her daydream, going back to tidying the donut counter. "Don't couples in love just do your Swede in? Speaking of couples, where's your handsome young man?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth answered honestly. "And he's not my young man, Brenda. Steve is just a friend."

"Um hm," the woman replied, sounding totally unconvinced. "Well, I'd change that before someone else sinks their claws into him. A man like that can't stay single for long."

"Well, like I said," Lizzie shrugged, "I don't know where he is. Apparently he came in and told Jenny that he had to go away on business whilst I was out last night at the store. I don't know what business he'd be on though."

"He's a soldier, isn't he?" Brenda checked. "Maybe he was called back?"

"No," Lizzie responded. "If he was going away for a long time then I'd like to think he'd tell me himself."

"Ah ha," Brenda suddenly quipped at Lizzie whilst she stood still and arched a brow at her. "You don't think he's gone on business, do you?"

"I don't know where he's gone," Elizabeth spoke again. "Maybe he told Jenny because he didn't want to see me. I guess that I had been clinging onto him the past couple of days. What with me living with him and I think he is too polite to ask for his own space. He seemed like a reserved guy."

"You need to get over your pessimistic attitude, girl," Brenda told her. "Maybe the guy has gone on business. Have you tried calling him?"

"No," Lizzie admitted. "I don't have his number and I don't want to go round in case I'm right and he doesn't want to see me."

"Are we talking about the same guy who took you to Central Park for a romantic picnic and then spent the Sunday taking your stuff to your new flat?" Brenda asked her. "No, the guy seemed too into you to shut you out, sweetie. Trust me. I'm older and much wiser."

"I don't think he's into me," Elizabeth responded with a shake of her head. "We're just friends, Brenda."

"It's never just friends," Brenda informed her.

"Hey, babe," one of the men suddenly shouted again and Brenda peered around Lizzie to look at him.

"We're talking here," she snapped and they shook their heads, motioning to the old and large TV which sat in the corner of the coffee shop.

"Turn the TV up, would you?" they asked her and Lizzie instantly looked up to the TV before pushing herself to sit on the counter, reaching up for the volume button on the TV considering the remote had been lost months ago. She remained seated on the counter, her neck titled upwards and her eyes completely focusing on the flashing screen in front of her which showed scenes from an hour ago in Germany.

Elizabeth felt her mouth drop open at what she was seeing. The sight of Iron Man flying into the square wasn't something which shocked her. She found that relatively easy to believe. It was the other two who were fighting in the square, the man with the shield throwing every single punch which he had behind his weight and into the fight.

"Well, I'll be damned," Brenda said, standing next to where Elizabeth sat, resting her hip against the counter as their eyes remained fixed on the screen. "If that doesn't look like Captain America then I don't know what does."

"The scenes are coming from anyone with internet access who were in Germany this evening and witnessed the whole fight. Apparently, a man named Loki had held people hostage outside of an event which was taking place in the city. Once outside it became clear that a man in a blue outfit was there to fight against him and his attempt at controlling the people. Once there then he made his mark and the two persisted to fight before the arrival of New York's own Iron Man. No one is quite sure what the event was about or what happened. Investigators in Germany are looking into the culprits who caused the disruption, but with one of the men looking like America's own Captain then it is safe to say that this could be a long process."

Elizabeth turned off as soon as the reporter had finished speaking and she shook her head, dropping down from the counter and walking into the back room, grabbing her coat as Brenda stood in the doorway and watched her.

"Where are you going?" she asked the young woman who nodded at her.

"It's ten," she said. "My shift is up."

"Are you not puzzled by what we've just seen on the TV screen?" she wondered and Lizzie shook her head.

"No." She said honestly. "Captain America is dead, Brenda. That guy had to be some wannabe and Iron Man would be there, wouldn't he?"

"Sure as hell looked weird to me," Brenda informed her.

...

Steve stood in the hellicarrier after the loss of Agent Coulson, his mind whirling with what he had just heard. The hellicarrier had been invaded and Loki had been lost. He didn't know what else to do. He was so used to taking the lead that sitting back and being contemplative didn't feel natural to him in many circumstances. But, in this one, it felt right.

He looked at the blooded cards on the table, his fingers skimming over the redness of the dried blood as he looked at himself. He was on a trading card and was respected by a man who had just died. He'd been brave in what he had done. He'd been like a true soldier.

It was only when he found Stark did it then hit him how important the tesseract was and how Loki needed stopping.

"He was a brave man," Steve informed Tony lowly as he stood in the doorway, looking down onto the vast space before him whilst Tony shook his head, his usual self confident self coming back into play.

"He was an idiot," Tony responded. "What part of him thought that he could get away with taking on Loki?"

"He was doing the right thing," Steve responded, moving down the steps to where Tony stood, glaring at the man as he shook his head back at him.

"No. He did the stupid thing."

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked from him and Tony felt something inside of his stomach churn as he shook his head and gritted his teeth.

"We are not soldiers," he snapped out. "We're nothing like that."

"Well we have to do something," Steve responded. "We need to stop Loki before something bad happens. He'll have something big planned."

"Of course he will," Stark said as if it was obvious. "He's going to want the big show, isn't he? This is opening night for him. He's going to what flowers and a standing ovation along with his name in lights."

Steve and Stark looked at each for a moment before Steve's jaw fell open and Tony remained wide eyed.

"Son of a bitch," he grumbled.

"You think he's going to be at your Tower in New York?" Steve checked with him and Tony nodded once, confirming that was exactly what he thought would happen. Steve instantly gulped once whilst Stark raised a brow at him and the Captain looked around uncomfortably, his arms folded against his chest.

"Why?" Stark asked. "New York is the most populated place isn't it? Where else can you gain an audience like that?"

"You can't," Steve confirmed. "We need to be going."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Tony said, shaking his head and looking at Steve who glanced back at him, a brow raised in his direction as he did so. "Hold up. Why did you look like that when I said New York?"

"Look like what?" Steve asked.

"You know," Tony shrugged, "the look which says that 'oh God, not New York because I'm thinking deeply about someone who could be down there.'"

"How do you know I was thinking that?" Steve asked him and Tony shrugged nonchalantly.

"You know, billionaire, playboy, genius," he told him. "I'm too smart not to notice the simple things. You're not a very complex person. It also helps that I hacked into the database and saw that Fury had done a check of a woman associated with you. Who is she?"

"You've done the background check. You should know," Steve shrugged back and Tony remained quiet, looking at him for another moment before he held his hands up.

"You know what?" he asked. "After this then I'll find out more about her."

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm a very caring person," Tony said, touching his chest and then walking backwards to the door. Steve snorted at hearing that and Tony looked back at him. "You'd best suit up. Standing around here isn't helping to save your new girlfriend."

"I...you were the one asking me questions..." Steve defended himself and Tony rolled his eyes, turning around and quickly walking away.

"Don't make excuses up, Cap. We've got a city to save."

...

A/N: So, twenty two favourite and twenty seven followers! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this! And twenty reviews for five chapters! Thank you to mericat, stinkysox, spiffymac0617, Imaginary Owls for reviewing the past few chapters! Let me know what you think, please? Just anything to let me know you're reading this!


	8. Chapter 8

Elizabeth quickly phoned the coffee shop when dinner time came and she hastily begged them to give her the afternoon off so that she could cover the afternoon shift for the accountant's. The receptionist for the afternoon had phoned in, informing them that she had a bad case of the flu and Elizabeth had been asked to keep on working until half past six at night. She was slightly annoyed, knowing that Brenda was understaffed at the coffee shop and every single body she had helped to keep it up and running.

But, she didn't need to worry. It wasn't long until the entire city of New York was disrupted and brought to a standstill. The afternoon slowly ticked around and Elizabeth yawned for the third time in the hour as she dropped the phone onto the receiver and one of the partner's came out, files in his hands, ready for her to put away.

"Oh my God!" a sudden voice yelled out and the pair of them glanced to the door, the balding partner raising a brow at the sudden visitor on his beige carpeted floors. "You would not believe what is happening out there!"

Elizabeth stood up from the comfy material seat, pushing it back as the woman tried to control the gasps which were escaping from her mouth.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked her.

"What are you talking about?" the partner snapped out and the woman pointed to the door, her finger wagging in its direction as she did so. Elizabeth knew she was shaken up, that much was obvious. The pair of them edged over to the doorway, their shoulders knocking against each other as they shimmied through the entrance at the same time and looked around, the sight of people running on the sidewalk filling them with fear immediately.

"Jesus Christ," the partner suddenly murmured, his eyes following the glances of everyone else's and heading up to the blackened sky above them. "What the hell is that?"

Lizzie shook her head, her own orbs focusing above her and onto the sight above her. Clouds had parted right above where Tony Stark had built his monstrosity of a tower and a large light seemed to be flashing from the top of it. But, that wasn't the worrying part. The worrying part was the opening in the sky and the things which were falling from it.

"I've got no idea," Elizabeth finally declared and she realised that she needed to quickly get somewhere safe. No. She needed to run. Anywhere would have done. The things in the sky slowly became larger as the accountant next to her stumbled backwards and into the building, preparing to go and hide in his office and drink a bottle of whiskey to numb the fear building inside of him.

Elizabeth only had one other thought going through her mind and that was getting somewhere safe and finding Brenda. That woman had been her lifeline in New York. She'd helped her find a job and given her a decent enough pay packet as well as advice and care.

Lizzie hastily moved through the crowds of people, pushing them out of her way as she felt her flats almost fall from her feet due to her speed and the way she was moving through people who seemed to be going in the opposite direction to her.

She felt the pins in her hair begin to fall, but it felt pretty irrelevant as she rounded the corner, falling flat onto her bum as she came into contact with a tall man, his chest running against her head as she tumbled and he carried on, not bothering to help her back up.

She groaned to herself before setting herself onto her feet and then moving through the crowd who all seemed to be going in the opposite direction to her. It all became apparent why as soon as she saw the police cars in front of her, sitting in the middle of the road and blocking most people's way onto the next Avenue.

"Whoa, ma'am," an officer said, catching Lizzie around her waist as she tried to push past him. "You don't want to be going that way. Those aliens from the sky are causing us nothing but trouble. Go and find somewhere safe."

"No," Elizabeth responded through gritted teeth. "You don't understand. I need to go that way. I need to get to someone."

"I'm sure it is important, miss," he promised her, pushing her in the other direction to where she wanted to be. "But we need to clear the perimeter and get everyone inside and safe."

"Jesus Christ," Lizzie groaned, snatching his wrist and pulling it from her as she glared at him and quickly darted past him, sliding through the small gap between the cars as officers yelled at her to come back. She ignored them, rushing into the no man land which had been created after their vehicles. Those aliens weren't there yet and she sure as hell wasn't going to wait for them to appear.

Merging onto the next block, she saw destruction in the form of an overturned bus along with cars and she rushed past the debris as people ducked down, hiding from the things in the sky which seemed content on wrecking havoc throughout the city. Lizzie felt her heart rate reach an all time high as she tried to remain calm, following the people through the potholes and craters which had been created.

Looking to the side of her as gunshots echoed she saw a woman dressed in all black stood there, her hair hanging in waves onto her shoulders as she remained completely intent on destroying the creatures advancing towards her along with the man to the side of her. The pair of them looked completely wrapped up in their own business and Lizzie took in the strangeness of it. Somehow it didn't seem normal for them to be there and destroying the creatures attacking the city.

She didn't take the time to dwell upon it. It seemed that no one else did.

...

Steve knew that Elizabeth was somewhere in the city. He knew that she was kicking around and he feared where she could be. He just hoped that she was somewhere safe and hiding indoors, away from the creatures who had launched their vendetta against Manhattan. As he destroyed another monster he shook his head, looking around as more of them seemed to appear from out of nowhere. He flung his shield from his hands, jumping down and knocking one unconscious as the other fell to the floor and he finally noted something familiar in the now unfamiliar city of New York.

Her blonde hair was falling from the bun she had placed it in and her black jacket was dirty along with a mark on her backside, the blackness staining the summery pink dress she wore as she ran amongst the people down the roads, ducking and taking cover from the things in the sky as they shot down onto them.

Steve quickly rushed forwards, grabbing his shield in his hand as he followed her, keeping his eyes out for chitauri as they approached. And then he suddenly stopped, realising that he couldn't follow her. He couldn't show special treatment to her. He was Captain America. He had to defend the entire city and not just one girl. Steve Rogers would have done that.

It didn't take him long until he noted her move into the coffee shop which she worked in and he mentally made a note of where to find her later on when the mess was finished. For the time being he had to focus on being in charge and doing what he did best.

...

"Are you crazy?" Brenda snapped as soon as she saw Lizzie enter the crowded shop where people were taking refuge and Lizzie shrugged, hugging her quickly as she did so. "You've been out on the streets when you could've been killed? Girl, do you have a death wish?"

"What the hell is this, Brenda?" Lizzie worried as the glass suddenly smashed and shattered, people backing far away from it as creatures appeared in their broken frames, their slimy fingers curling around them as they jumped down and looked around, wondering who to kill first as people cowered into corners. They moved closer, a long rifle in their hands and pointing to the civilians in the coffee shop as Elizabeth felt the blood drain from her veins at the sight of them. They weren't from around her area, and that was for sure.

She made sure Brenda stayed behind her as people knelt onto the ground, begging with them silently not to hurt them. Elizabeth dropped to her knees, her eyes still on the creatures before she heard the smashing of more glass and she looked up to the sight.

"I told you it was him," Brenda's voice hissed from behind her and into her ear as Elizabeth stood up, the only one to do so as the creature turned onto her and held the rifle out straight in front of him. But, she was so focused on the fact that a guy dressed in a spangly outfit had walked in and fought off most of them. She quickly ducked down once again as Brenda tugged on her dress and a spark flew from the rifle, moving over her head as the man stood in front of her, his shield flying from his hand and hitting the creature on his chest, knocking him backwards.

Elizabeth remained on the ground, too shocked from the near death experience to stand as Brenda looked around, other people seeing the man in the bright blue outfit as he held onto his shield again.

Steve knew that he couldn't turn around to look at Elizabeth, fearful that she might catch sight of his eyes and know instantly who he was. He couldn't have that and he didn't want that. If he told her who he was then it would be in his own time and on his own terms. Not being forced to by Loki and his army.

Quickly, he jumped out from the coffee shop and continued on his vendetta against the rest of the aliens.

...

"Was that a missile?" Elizabeth snapped out loud as she and Brenda stood in the window to the coffee shop, looking up to the sky as people dared to move out and onto the pavement, sensing that the worst was over. The two women watched as the missile was dragged upwards and to the portal, Iron Man holding onto it tightly as he went.

"I don't know what that was," Brenda whispered back, the entire events of the day getting to her as he disappeared from sight and Elizabeth shook her head, wondering where he was going as the light from Stark Tower seemed to darken until it finally went out and she thought about if Iron Man was still in there.

"Bloody Hell!" Lizzie suddenly snapped as soon as she saw him fall from the sky and disappear behind the skyline of skyscrapers whilst Brenda shook her head and whistled lowly, hoping that he was okay. As much as he was an obnoxious man, he had just saved their lives.

...

Steve sighed to himself as he saw Stark wake up, his eyes bolting open from behind his mask as the Hulk roared loudly, shocking him back to his sense and everyone felt a little bit of tension move from their body at the sight of it. Stark had even gone back to his usual self, suggesting they all go for a bite to eat. Steve politely declined the offer, heading back to his apartment with his mask covering his face after Tony gave him a knowing look.

He changed out of the costume, knowing that he had attracted enough attention for the day and he placed on the checker shirt, becoming ordinary Steve Rogers as he looked out of his apartment and onto the crumbling city.

He rushed back through the streets again, this time managing to blend in with the crowd as he found the coffee shop and saw her sat in a booth by the open window, her eyes looking onto the city as she continued to look lost and confused about what had happened.

Slowly, Steve sat opposite her, remaining silent until she stared back at him and a dirty hand covered her mouth as a sob of relief escaped from her body and she shook with juvenile delight at seeing him sat there.

"You're alive," she whimpered, telling herself not to cry with joy as he stared back at her and nodded. She slowly reached her hand onto the table, taking one of his large hands into her small one and holding it tightly. "I came to your apartment last night but you weren't there. Where have you been?"

"I've been away on business. There was some training," he said. He wasn't really lying. He supposed he had been training. Just violently so and against an army which could have destroyed New York. "I came looking for you-"

"-When did you get back," she interrupted him and Steve blinked profusely.

"An hour ago," he lied. "They wouldn't let me back into the city until those things had gone."

"It's all over the news," Lizzie commented, motioning to the TV which was playing out to a crowd who were stood around and watching it, the picture going fuzzy once in a while due to poor signal. "They said aliens invaded and superheroes...well...they stopped them from killing us."

"I've heard," Steve whispered back to her, looking at their entwined hands as Lizzie struggled to come to terms with what had happened. "It all seems surreal, doesn't it?"

"That's one way of putting it," she mumbled, knowing that her way was much cruder than Steve would want to know. He'd walked through New York and had seen people crying in relief, smiling as they held onto each other and thanked God for their safety. Yet, Elizabeth sat in the booth looking glum and contradictory to normal New Yorker at the time.

"I'm glad you're safe," Steve suddenly informed her and she nodded, swallowing hard as she looked back up to him. "I was worried about you."

"You were?" she checked and he nodded.

"Of course."

"I...Jesus...this sounds strange saying it, but...I think...well...I think Captain America might have saved my life," she told him and Steve had to resist the urge to smile as she spoke to him and he arched a brow at her, remaining mute before she spoke again. "I mean, I don't know how. The guy looked like he was under thirty and we all know the Cap was alive in the war. None of it makes any sense...but...he stopped one of those things...and I never got to even thank him."

"I'm sure he'll know how grateful you are," Steve said to her. He knew he should tell her. Did he think that he could keep it a secret forever?

"I hope so," Lizzie responded and then chuckled. "It's ironic, really. I'd imagined you sat in this booth a couple of days ago, waiting for me to get off work."

"Well, I'm just a little late." Steve said to her and she nodded.

"You're quite late, to be honest. I wouldn't have sat around and waited for you for this long," she joked back with him and he smirked before speaking.

"Are you hungry?" he asked and she looked at him sceptically.

"The city had just been destroyed by aliens and you're asking me if I'm hungry?" she checked and Steve remained silent. Well, yes, he was asking her if she was hungry. Why was that so odd?

"I guess so," he replied and she nodded at him.

"I guess I am hungry," she shrugged and Steve slid from the booth as Lizzie did the same. His eyes instantly fell down onto the sheer tights which covered her bare feet and he took in the fact she had no shoes. She followed his stare and crossed her legs together, looking back at him as she did so.

"I gave them to a girl who left a while ago. Her feet were a mess because she'd lost her heels and I wasn't going anywhere. I didn't mind and she didn't want to walk over rubble and broken glass."

"That was thoughtful of you," Steve said.

"It's been known to happen," she shrugged back and Steve chuckled, quickly bending down and grasping her legs around his arm and then his other arm held her back and she looked at him, her cheeks warming up as she did so.

"What're you doing?" she wondered.

"You can't walk around like that."

"I'll be fine."

"For once, ma'am, you're not going to argue with me over this."

"And for once, I'll let you have your own way, Mr Rogers," she informed him and Steve chuckled, carrying her out the shop and through the city of rubble.

...

A/N: I didn't really want Lizzie to find out that Steve was Captain America yet. Gives the story more plot later on. So, thank you to mericat, BritanyJean, Torilovesu, Imaginary Owls and a A Contradiction for reviewing!

I hope you'll let me know what you think as I have much more to come which I hoped you'll enjoy!


	9. Chapter 9

Steve watched as Elizabeth pottered around the living room of her flat, tidying up and trying to make the place look more presentable as he stood in the doorway, his arms folded and his eyes following wherever she was going as she dumped magazines onto the coffee table and away from her sofa, pushing her hair behind her ears as she did so. She glanced around again, wondering if there was anything else which needed putting away. But, she shook her head, collapsing onto the sofa whilst Steve moved into the room nervously.

"You can sit down," she told him and he nodded once, perching himself on the other end of the sofa, sitting back and pushing a hand through his dishevelled hair. Lizzie tucked her feet underneath herself, biting down on the ends of her fingers as she looked across to Steve. He could tell that was still unnerved about the entire episode which had happened that afternoon. She was just pondering why he didn't seem bothered about it.

They'd sat and ate a sub together on a broken brick wall, looking around and at the mess which was caused. Neither one of them seemed fazed by it; as people began clearing up, sweeping up the small rubble bits and throwing broken possessions into bin bags. It was only as Steve carried Lizzie the remainder of the way home did she begin to realise the extent of damage which had been caused by aliens.

"Do you remember when you asked me if I believed in superheroes?" Lizzie checked with Steve and he nodded at her, tugging at the collar of his checker shirt.

"I do," he said and she pushed herself back against the sofa, her back resting against the arm and her arms wrapping around her legs, her chin resting on their folded paleness as her eyes remained fixed on his.

"Well, I do now," she said. "You never asked if I believed in aliens though. Those things from the sky have never been mentioned in my History class."

"Perhaps they will be mentioned in someone's History class further down the line," he said and she chuckled but nodded, cocking her head to the side as she ran a trembling hand down her blonde locks and Steve watched her intently.

"Perhaps," she agreed and looked up to the ceiling, her head falling back against the arm of the sofa whilst Steve noted the way her neck stretched back. She was almost graceful like. And that was a first for her. "I still can't believe it...Captain America...I mean...you don't think that it was _the _Captain America, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked her and she looked back at him, shrugging quickly as she did so.

"I mean, he didn't look like an eighty year old, did he?" Lizzie checked. "It can't have been him. They must have replicated the serum used on him or something like that. It could not have been him. It wouldn't have been possible."

"I wouldn't know about that," Steve said, his lips forming a tight line before Lizzie untangled her limbs and moved over to the small TV she had managed to buy. She bent down, pressing the on button and hoping there was some life in it. She was in luck; her apartment seemed to have been unscathed from the damage.

"Typical," she drawled out. "New York suffers an alien invasion but there is still TV signal and news reporters live and on the scene."

"I suppose it is just the modern times," Steve said, his voice slightly hesitant and Elizabeth couldn't help but think it sounded more like a question as she sat back down and watched the news speak about superheroes who had been on Earth. They were interviewing anyone at any possible moment, speaking with such gratitude and relief. Even Iron Man was spoken of in such a term.

"The public appear quite grateful," Steve commented once Elizabeth had flipped channels and she looked at him with an arched brow.

"They saved our lives," she reminded him. "I don't think anyone will forget it. I know that I won't. I dread to think what that thing would have done to me if Captain America hadn't shown up."

"Well," Steve coughed gently, "like I said before, I am sure he was just doing his job. He's saved a few others in the past."

"Not the point," Elizabeth shook her head. "It was me who he saved...as selfish as it sounds; I don't care about anyone else...I mean...when I think that he could have been anywhere in the city and fighting those aliens off...but he wasn't...he was in that coffee shop and saving my life."

"I know," Steve simply said. And he did know. What more could he say without telling her that it was actually him who had helped her. He had no idea. "Look, it's getting late. I should be going."

"Your apartment isn't destroyed then?" Lizzie checked and Steve shook his head at her.

"No," he confirmed. "It's safe for now. The building next door wasn't so lucky."

"Right," Lizzie smiled gently at him before he stood up and she did the same, walking him to the door as she continued her babbling consistently. "If it was destroyed then you'd be welcome to stay here. You know, I'd return the favour and all of that."

"And it would have been appreciated, Elizabeth," Steve promised her, a smile playing on his lips as he did so. "Anyway, I'll see you around, won't I?"

"Of course," Lizzie nodded hastily. "I'll be working tomorrow, clearing up the mess I guess."

"Right," Steve nodded and she opened the door for him. He stepped outside, turning around to look at her as she wrapped her fingers around the wooden frame and rocked back and forth on her toes, looking up and down the corridor of her apartment before she spoke again.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow, shall I?" Lizzie checked and Steve nodded once again, his hands moving into his pockets.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he assured her and began to walk down the corridor. Lizzie mentally cursed herself as she watched him go, wondering how pathetic she sounded. Even in her own mind she felt weak and pointless, her eyes following Steve and her mouth opening before she had the chance to think.

"Steve!" she called out and he turned back around, his blue eyes glittering across into hers as she pulled her door shut slightly and walked down the hall to him, her arms folded as she did so. "Look, I wouldn't ask this if I didn't feel like I did right now. It's just that I'm pretty shaken up...what with almost dying and that...and well...those things have been running around and I don't know if they've gone or not for sure..."

"I see," Steve said, not sure what she was getting at, but he decided to be patient and wait for her to talk to him.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd stay the night?" Lizzie asked. "I mean, you can have the sofa or my bed. I don't mind. I just don't want to be alone and you're...well...I think I've come to trust you."

"You only think?" Steve smirked and she rolled her eyes at him, shrugging nonchalantly.

"I know," she declared.

"I'll have the sofa," Steve smiled back and she nodded, walking back into the apartment with him in tow.

...

"You skipped out on Shawarma the other night, Cap," Stark's voice informed Steve as he stood in the Tower which looked over New York. A couple of days had passed and the city was already beginning to be rebuilt. People seemed a lot jollier and there were more people with optimism. Of course, the Avengers had disbanded, only being together on this one occasion where they were discussing the best option of what to do with Loki.

In the end it had only seemed fit for Thor to deal with his brother back on their home planet. Steve didn't mind at all. As long as the God of Mischief stayed away from Earth then he wouldn't mind.

"I was busy," Steve replied to Tony, folding his arms and looking across to where Natasha and Barton stood, whispering to each other as Banner conversed with Thor.

"Ah yeah," Tony nodded, his hand scratching his chin as he did so. "You had your little girlfriend to run off to, didn't you?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Steve informed Tony. "We're not courting."

"Courting?" Tony checked. "You're not in the forties now. You're either simply sleeping with her or dating her. That's the modern term for it now."

"Well, we're doing neither of those," Steve replied to Tony who rolled his eyes at hearing that.

"You need to be getting a move on, Cap," he whistled lowly. "Girls are snatched up as quickly as Hot Dogs are in New York."

"Hot Dogs?" Steve wondered and Tony rolled his eyes, placing his hand onto the Cap's shoulder and looking at him with a gleam in his eyes. Steve knew that could mean nothing good.

"Look, I'm going to do you a favour," Tony said and Steve chuckled, shaking the man's hand off of his leather clad arm.

"I'm imagining we both have different ideas about what a favour is," Steve informed Tony who placed a hand over his chest, his face looking shocked as he shook his head.

"I'm hurt," he said before quickly shaking his head. "Anyway, I'll organise a small party here at Stark Towers, congratulating me on helping to save the City. You bring along your little girlfriend and I'll help speed the process up for you."

"The process?"

"You know," Tony grinned with a small shrug. "I can help her fall for you and then you can get into her skirt. You must be out of practice, what with being on ice for seventy years."

"The way you treat women is appalling," Steve informed Tony who grinned again.

"I'm trying to do you a favour," he assured Steve. "You bring her to the party and I can meet her and tell you if she's any good for you. Some of these modern women will eat you up, pretty boy. Your chivalry won't go far with most of them."

"Elizabeth is different," Steve informed Tony who rolled his eyes at hearing that.

"You're already saying she's different. You're falling hard and fast, Cap. So, I'll arrange the party and email you the times and dates."

"Email?" Steve raised a brow whilst Tony tried to remain calm, managing not to snap at him for being so out of time.

"Fine, I'll telegram it or send it with pigeons. Or maybe write it up in the sky," Tony reeled off his ideas, walking backwards and away from Steve as he heard Pepper shout his name. "Just look out for an event."

"I cannot wait," Steve mumbled under his breath, turning his glare to look back out of the window.

...

"Hey," Lizzie smiled as soon as she saw Steve walk into the coffee shop at seven on the dot. He always seemed to be punctual and she couldn't help but find it a trait which she loved. "I'm just going to grab my coat and then we can go."

"No rush," Steve promised her, waiting until she came back out from the back and pulled her hair from underneath the collar of the thin Mac coat which she wore. Steve offered her his arm and she took it as per usual, the pair of them making their way down the road and to the cinema to see a rerun of Notting Hill which was showing.

Steve had watched Lizzie practically melt when he showed her that he had managed to secure tickets. Truth be known; it wasn't the most popular film that time of night when people intended to go and watch the new horror which was on.

"So, I got a pay rise at work today," Lizzie informed Steve as they ambled along and he arched a brow at her. "I'm now going to be able to afford the bottle of wine I buy every week instead of having to scrimp and save and not buy the expensive hair products I like."

"It seems you're living the high life," Steve joked with her and she rolled her eyes, wondering what to tell him about the news she had received.

"So, my parents are coming down from Dakota," she began, running her free hand through her hair and looking onto the traffic covered road. "They're going to be staying in a hotel down the road from me. I told them that they could stay at my apartment but they said no."

"How long are they staying for?"

"A couple of nights," Lizzie said. "I told them about Geoff and me splitting up. They seemed relieved. They'd been down the previous month and didn't like him. In fact, I don't think they've liked any man I've ever met."

"I think it is a parent's prerogative to be protective of their child, especially a daughter," Steve said and Lizzie snorted once.

"I kind of told them about you when they asked if I'd made any friends in NY," Lizzie admitted. "Anyway, any male who I'm near then my mom instantly wants to meet him."

"Your parents want to meet me?" Steve checked and Lizzie nodded, laughing once and shaking her head as she did so.

"I know, it's odd," she assured him. "I mean, we're just friends and we're not even dating...but...they said that I sounded happier and they want to meet whoever is responsible for that. I told them not to be so nosy and just-"

"-I'd love to meet them," Steve interrupted her and she blinked profusely, looking up at him as he smiled back down to her.

"Seriously?" she checked. "You don't know what you're letting yourself in for."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad."

Steve had managed to defeat hundreds of enemies. He was sure her parents couldn't be as terrible as that.

...

A/N: so thank you to everyone following this! And thank you to Imaginary Owls, A Contradiction, ButtercupluvsJACE and stinkysox for reviewing and just to clarify, Lizzie isn't the girl from Avengers who I also believe to be called Beth. Totally my own OC.

Do let me know what you think, pretty please?


	10. Chapter 10

Of course it came as no shock to Steve that Lizzie's parents would be different to those who he had met in ninety forty. Increasingly so, they were strikingly different and Steve had to admit to himself that he did feel slightly unsettled by their presence. They asked him questions of all sorts and even enquired if he were single. Elizabeth had warned him that it wouldn't be an easy ride and he had to admit that she was right.

He saw Lizzie in a whole new light when she met with her parents. It was almost as if she desired to spar with them. As if doing anything else would be classed as wrong. Steve had watched her snap and hand them snide comments on a plate. Even he had to admit that he was shocked by the young woman's behaviour. Elizabeth had been nothing if not polite to him. He saw a different side to her when she was with other people.

"I'm telling you now that you can back out of this. Actually, I'm saying that you probably should back out of this," Lizzie informed Steve as they stood on the steps to the restaurant which her parent's had booked. They'd read about it being one of the fanciest places in NY and asked if Lizzie had been. She'd politely said that she hadn't and so they'd told her that she could have if she married someone like they had wanted her to.

"Once I make a decision then I stick by it," Steve informed her, his voice kind and polite whilst Lizzie shook her head, rolling her eyes and wrapping her arms around her midriff. Steve really was old fashioned. "I gave you my word that I'd come. It would be completely inappropriate if I backed out now."

"Actually, it would make sense and I might follow you," she mumbled and Steve placed his hands into his pockets, his eyes glancing down onto her as he did so.

"They can't be that bad, Elizabeth," he promised her which earned another snort to escape her mouth and another eye roll.

"Trust me, they are," Lizzie informed him and he shook his head, chuckling at hearing her before she stiffened and nudged him in the arm. Steve had donned a casual white shirt along with black pants for their evening meal, wondering if it was the appropriate attire considering his wardrobe consisted mainly of brown pants and checker shirts. But, he thought they were too casual for meeting Elizabeth's parents.

"Here they come," she said, pulling at the simple pink dress which she wore and tugging at the bow around her waist. She had to admit that she was nervous about seeing them. She was more worried for Steve, actually. She knew what they thought of her life in New York. They saw her as someone who lost aspiration whilst being in the Big Apple. She'd disagreed and told them that she was happy.

"Lizzie, darling," her mother cooed, kissing her on the cheek twice before her father grunted and swept her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

Steve looked at Mr and Mrs Meyer, wondering who Elizabeth took after. He had to admit that she did have her mother's eyes and the same style of hair. The stubborn chin and jaw set must have come from her father though. Steve knew that much.

"Mom, dad," Lizzie spoke, stepping back and looking at Steve. His pale features remained completely calm and collected. Not that she expected anything other than that to be honest. He'd proved himself to be a relaxed individual when it came to most things. It was as if doing anything other than looking like he did would confuse him. "This is Steve. Steve's a friend I met last week. He's a soldier."

"Pleasure to meet you," Mrs Meyer spoke and Steve even bowed his head to her.

"Ma'am, it's lovely to meet you, too," he assured her and she smiled with a curt nod before Mr Meyer looked at the man, eyeing him up and down with suspicion for a few seconds before deciding to offer him his hand.

"Steve, is it?" Mr Meyer checked. "You certainly have the posture of a soldier."

"Thank you very much, sir," Steve replied, a small smile on his features. "I'd like to think I do my country proud."

"Should we go in?" Mrs Meyer said although she was leading the way regardless of what anyone else said to her. Lizzie nodded once at Steve who shrugged, so much as to say he didn't know why she was fretting about anything. She gave him a cautious glance for one final time, supposedly telling him that he would see why she didn't want to meet her parents.

"It's amazing," Mrs Meyer spoke as they stood at the table near the door, waiting for a waiter to come and show them to their seats. "New York is invaded less than two weeks ago by aliens yet it is like nothing has happened. I don't know whether to commend them for their bravery to carry on or be appalled for their attitude not to mourn the lost."

"Don't say anything," Lizzie mumbled to Steve as he opened his mouth for a second and then closed it on her command whilst her parent's turned to look at the waiter who checked their reservations and led them to a small corner table where privacy was ensured. Elizabeth sat besides Steve and opposite her father who was grunting at the cost of the restaurant.

Lizzie had to admit that it was a lovely little place. It was full of dangling lights from the ceiling, dimly lit to give the place some atmosphere as well as there being multiple tables throughout the room which were spread out, privacy being ensured.

Steve placed the napkin onto his lap before Mrs Meyer began with her questioning once again.

"So, Steve," she drawled. "How long have you been a soldier?"

"A few years, ma'am," Steve spoke back.

"Oh, call me Mel," Mrs Meyer waved a hand breezily whilst unwrapping her scarf from her neck and Elizabeth picked the breadstick in the middle of the table. "Ma'am does make me feel old. So, my daughter tells me that you two met the other week whilst Geoff was kicking her out."

"We did," Steve confirmed with a blunt nod. He didn't like to think back to Geoff. The man was quite simply an arrogant fool who had no respect for anyone but himself. If Steve had his way then he'd take him down a peg or two, he knew that.

"She's got terrible taste in men, Steve," Mel informed him, leaning over the table whilst Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "The last few she has picked have been terrible. Geoff cheated on her and did she tell you about the other man whilst she was in College?"

"Mom," Lizzie snapped, glaring at the elder woman who sat back, raising her hands in the air to surrender whilst Elizabeth sat back, and looked over to Steve who was staring back at her questioningly. "Steve doesn't need to know about Collin."

"No, I suppose not," Mrs Meyer drawled. "Lizzie won't listen to us though, Steve," she informed him and Steve arched a brow, remaining silent.

"I won't listen to you because I know that if you had your way then I'd be married to the lawyer from next door and pregnant with your forth grandchild," Lizzie snapped out, her voice harsh and annoyed with her mother.

"I often wonder if you'll give us any of those," Mel scoffed.

"Melanie," Mr Meyer said; his voice low and commanding as he looked back to his wife. "Elizabeth is an adult now. She is at liberty to do what she sees fit," he paused for a moment before turning his stare back to his daughter, "even if we don't agree with it."

"So what are your intentions with our daughter, Steve?"

"Pardon, ma'am?" Steve asked and Elizabeth glared at them as her mother shrugged nonchalantly in her direction.

"Well, Elizabeth isn't exactly unattractive, is she, Steve?"

"Mom," Lizzie complained again. "Steve and I are just friends. Leave it. He was kind enough to come down here and meet you. God only knows why. Stop harassing him."

"Do you see the way she talks to her own mother, Steve?" Melanie shook her head, her narrowed eyes in her daughter's direction as Elizabeth sat back again like a sulking teenager and she played with a breadstick, snapping it in half and chewing on the end of it.

"Well it's only because of the way you treat me," Lizzie grumbled and Steve remained silent, knowing when best to leave a matter alone. And he certainly knew in this instance. "Besides, Steve and I are just friends. I told you this before you came."

"Well, I just wanted to make sure, Lizzie. You of all people should know what men are like. You haven't exactly made excellent decisions in the past. Your father and I just want to take care of you. Surely you can see that?" she checked with her daughter who resisted the need to scoff and roll her eyes at her mother as her beady eyes went back onto the tall blonde man who was looking into the glass of water which he had.

Steve didn't know what it was about her parents. He could see that they weren't on brilliant terms with each other. Steve doubted whether they spoke much at all. But seeing Lizzie so wound up made something stir in Steve's stomach. Not to mention the fact that he now had an interest in who this Collin was.

"Besides, I think Steve would make an excellent partner," Mel said and Elizabeth's eyes instantly widened at hearing that, her brows rising all the way up her forehead as she glanced at Steve and then back to her mother. Her father was silent, on the other hand. He'd given up on goading his daughter a long time ago when it became apparent that she had no interest in doing as they had asked her and settling down.

"Who Lizzie sees isn't our concern, Mel," Mr Meyer spoke and Mel rolled her eyes at hearing him, looking back down onto the menu as the waiter came to take orders.

Steve had to admit that he found himself slightly off with the current dishes of the day. Things seemed to really have changed since the days when soldiers ate whatever was placed in front of them and they simply liked it or lumped it. He settled on some form of pasta dish whilst Elizabeth's mother gave out a large order of how she wanted her vegetables cooking and how tender her lamb should be.

"I'm just saying, George," Mel spoke, looking over to her husband who had his eyes set on the piece of bread he was eating which had been sat in the basket on the table. "Steve seems polite enough and he isn't bad looking, is he? Lizzie could do much worse. In fact, I think she has done much worse."

"Why is it that you judge everything which I do?" Elizabeth asked her mother. A cocked brow and firm lips set on the older woman a she adjusted the sheer white blouse she wore tucked into her high waisted trousers.

"I'm your mother," Mel spoke, the matter of fact tone becoming apparent as she did so. "It is my right to judge everything which you do."

"Yes, but when you do judge me then it mostly turns out negative," Elizabeth responded with a frown and her mother shrugged her shoulders breezily, not really caring all too much for her daughter's complaints.

"You're a waitress, Lizzie. You're a waitress in a one bedroom flat with dingy views over Manhattan. You're not entirely the successful journalist which you wanted to be."

"There weren't any jobs," Lizzie mumbled, bowing her head and feeling like a teenager being scolded whilst her mother pursed her lips tightly and George sighed to himself, already tiring of the two women bickering.

"We've come to see our daughter, Melanie," George finally declared as Steve looked down at Elizabeth whose eyes were roaming around the building and her glass of water was pressed to her lips. Steve could have sworn he saw something moist build up in her eyes but she covered it quickly with a blink. "Now, maybe a civilised conversation would be too much to ask, but let us give it a go. The young man over there must be wondering what he has walked into."

"You'll have to excuse her, Steve," Mel spoke, waving a hand breezily. "Elizabeth is very opinionated. Normally it tends to be on the wrong thing though."

"On the contrary, Mrs Meyer," Steve said, his hands resting on his thighs and balled up into fists, pushing down on the muscle of his leg. "I find Elizabeth a fascinating individual. She's been nothing if not a charming lady to me these last few days."

Lizzie's orbs managed to worm their way up to Steve's blue ones as he smiled softly down at her before coughing and looking away. A small smile graced her lips as she realised what Steve had just done. He'd defended her.

...

"You didn't need to do that," Elizabeth spoke as soon as they left the restaurant and walked back down the sidewalk. Steve offered his arm, as per usual. The feel of leather had become so normal against Elizabeth's fingertips that him wearing anything different felt odd. She knew she was becoming too attached as she thought that.

"No, I did," Steve assured her, slowing down his pace so that she didn't tumble in the black heels which she wore. "Your parents weren't being pleasant and I saw you look away, Elizabeth. I understand that you should treat your parents with respect. It is how it is. I just don't think that they should treat you as harshly as they did."

Lizzie chewed on her lower lip, thinking about what Steve had just said and she nodded at him, agreeing entirely.

"I know they think I'm a screw up," she complained. "Jay Z lied, I reckon. This isn't the concrete jungle where dreams are made of."

Steve had to think back for a moment before he simply nodded along with her. He must listen to that song one day to understand what she was going on about.

"Just try not to be too hard on yourself, Elizabeth," Steve told her, his voice quite stern yet caring at the same time. She wondered if it was possible for him to be anything other than supportive.

"They're right in a way though," Lizzie counteracted, seeing the built up wall by the bike stand on the sidewalk. She slowly jumped onto it, looking behind her where the dirt garden sat, a few trees growing in it with some almost dead flowers. Steve leant against it, still equalling the same height as she did when she was sat on the brickwork.

"They're only right if you want them to be right," Steve informed her and Lizzie thought for a moment, taking in his cryptic words before he looked at her. "I don't think you're a screw up."

"I think you're the only one who doesn't," Lizzie whispered back to him and he shrugged.

"Maybe," he said. "It doesn't really matter though. As long as you don't think it then there isn't a problem, Elizabeth."

Lizzie smiled softly at hearing him as he smiled back at her.

"You're okay for a man, you know that, Steve?" she checked and he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck as he felt his face warm up slightly.

"Thank you very much," he said to her.

The pair of them lapsed into a comfortable silence for a couple of moments before Steve spoke again, his mind not being able to take much more wandering as he looked to Lizzie for the answer.

"I don't mean to pry," he spoke and took a deep breath, meaning to continue but not gaining the chance to as Lizzie laughed once and shook her head, her arms wrapping around her waist as she shook her head.

"You want to know about Collin, don't you?" she checked. "I knew you'd ask. I just hoped that she wouldn't bring him up."

"Who is he?" Steve wondered and Lizzie shrugged gently, her eyes continuously glancing around as she did so, watching people walk past them, too wrapped up in their own world to notice the hesitance which was Elizabeth as she sat on the wall.

"He was my boyfriend during college," Lizzie explained. "We dated for a couple of months and he kind of...well...he didn't really want to wait to seal the deal, if you know what I mean." She said, looking at Steve as he tried to understand what she meant. He had a vague idea. He decided to let her continue though, intending to pick up what she meant later on.

"Anyway, we went to this party one night and Collin had a bit too much to drink and he thought it would be okay to...Jesus...why is this so hard?" Lizzie suddenly wondered, a shaky laugh coming from her as she smiled in disbelief and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before sniffing and continuing.

"It's okay," Steve assured her. "You don't need to-"

"-No," Lizzie replied. "You asked and so I'm telling you. I'm fine. I'm sure you can work out the details of what happened. I wanted to wait but he didn't. In the end we didn't wait...I...I asked him to stop...he was just so drunk that he didn't...he didn't know what he was doing and I didn't know how to stop him...he kept telling me that if I loved him then I'd be fine. And me, being the idiot that I am, believed him."

Steve remained mute, watching her as she looked onto her hands which were sat in her lap. She was in distress and that was enough to make something inside of him well up. She didn't deserve it. As he stared at her he wondered who could have hurt a woman like that.

"I agreed to it," Lizzie shrugged to Steve after another few moments. "I mean, I should have said no."

"That's irrelevant," Steve informed her. "He should have been a gentleman and left you be. No one should do that to a woman."

"Well, like I said, I don't know many of them," she told him and he jumped up onto the wall next to her, shrugging out from his jacket and draping it over her shoulders as she held it tightly and he clasped his hands into a fist, still staring at her.

"I'd like to think that you know one of them now," Steve finally had the courage to speak up to her and she nodded at him, bowing her head again and then hugging his jacket closer to her body. "I'm sorry, Lizzie."

"What for?" Elizabeth asked, a wry grin playing on her face due to the fact he had used a nickname for her.

"For what happened to you," Steve nodded and she shook her head at him, her hand wrapping around his arm as she moved closer to him, the warmth coming from his body being something which she craved.

"It's in the past, Steve. Honestly, I don't know why I'm so upset. It happened ages ago and we broke up and I never had to see him again. I'm fine," she promised him and Steve could sense that her tone was one which suggested that he left the topic alone. He nodded to himself and remained sat where he was.

"Thanks for tonight," Lizzie mumbled suddenly. "You didn't need to be polite to my parent's."

"I'll hold my tongue when I need to," Steve promised her and she chuckled, cautiously resting her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes as Steve looked down to her before she sighed contently and he smiled softly.

Maybe he would tell her about the party later. For now, he was pretty happy sat where he was.

...

A/N: Hey all! I know updates haven't been regular but I'm back at Uni and it is taking a lot out of me! So, I got a free couple of hours and here we go! Thanks to Nicole Glimmer, ButtercupluvsJACE, MireliAmbar, stinkysox, crzyjllybn, Imaginary Owls, glogreen4me for reviewing! Massive thanks to whoiswhatsername for going back and reviewing all of my previous chapters! Means a lot guys! Thanks so much!

Do let me know what you think – until next time!


	11. Chapter 11

"I didn't know that you knew Tony Stark," Lizzie called out to Steve as she sat on the sofa and he moved around his apartment, looking at everything as he went and wondering what he should cook her for dinner when he had more food in his cupboards. He'd invited her around to his apartment after her shift at the coffee house, informing her that he could make a late supper. She'd accepted, knowing that spending time with Steve was better than spending time by herself.

But, Steve didn't even know what to cook. That was his issue. In the end he'd allowed some pasta to simmer over the hob, waiting for the water to boil. It seemed that the hob was the only thing which he could really work. And then he'd told Lizzie about the party. He'd distracted himself when he mentioned it, trying to shrug it off as not being a big thing.

She had other ideas however. So, Steve continued to move around his apartment, tidying things which didn't really need to be tidied. He didn't really want to go to any event which Tony was hosting, the mere thought of what that man was capable of scared him to death. But, he didn't really have a say in the matter. He should have known that when it came to Tony.

"We met a couple of weeks ago," Steve spoke back to her and Lizzie arched a brow, blinking a few times as she did so. "We started talking and he said he needed someone to make up the numbers to his party. You know that saying no to Tony isn't an option."

"Mm," Lizzie mused. "No, I don't know what it is like to say no to him considering I've never spoken to him or felt the need to. Also, I've only ever seen the man on TV and I consider that enough if I have to be honest with you. He seems slightly arrogant. Why does he need you to make up the numbers?"

"I don't know," Steve replied to her, finally finishing off his vacant time of tidying. He took a seat on the sofa besides her as she folded her legs underneath herself and continued to watch him with intent.

"This is Tony Stark, Steve," Lizzie informed him. "The man would have plenty of people to invite to his party."

"Are you saying that I'm not important enough to be at the party?" Steve wondered with a taunting tone and Lizzie rolled her eyes, softly hitting him on the arm.

"You know what I mean," she replied and Steve chuckled back at her, shaking his head before patting his thighs with his hands and standing up again.

"I know what you mean," he confirmed to her. "The pasta should be done by now."

"Do you want me to dish up?"

"No," Steve replied to her with a shake of his head. "I'll be fine going by myself. You stay here. You've been at work all day."

"Ugh," Lizzie complained, resting her back against the arm of his sofa and pulling her skirt down her legs whilst Steve wandered off into the kitchen, listening to her shouting as he drained the pasta. "Don't remind me about that today. I could swear that I can do no right, Steve. I was at the coffee shop and everyone seems to think that it is okay to just treat me like crap. It does my head in."

"What happened?" Steve called back, placing the sauce over the pasta.

"Where do you want me to start?" Lizzie chuckled. "I got in and someone instantly dropped coffee all over the floor and I fell over it. It was my fault. I should have watched where I was going. And then there were the two men who came in and continued to think that it was okay to harass me."

"How so?" Steve enquired, dropping a fork into the bowls and then walking back out to the living room. He handed her the bowl and she smiled up at him, her free hand tucking her hair behind her ear whilst Steve sat back in his normal place.

"You know," Lizzie drawled, "they think that it's okay to hit your ass whenever they want to and then they made crude comments."

"Did no one stop them?" Steve asked her and she shook her head.

"No one wants to stop people who intimidate them, Steve," Lizzie spoke back. "Brenda managed to get them out after a while."

"I don't understand it," Steve told her with a shake of his head and she popped the pasta into her mouth, resting the end of the fork on the tip of her tongue. "I can't grasp it."

"That's because you're too polite," Lizzie pointed out, her fork now moving to point in Steve's direction and he placed a piece of pasta against his lips. "It's odd, really," Lizzie continued to comment. "You've never even said anything out of place. It's like you're the perfect gentleman. Do you ever swear?"

"Excuse me?" Steve asked; a look of amusement on his face and Lizzie glanced back at him, a grin on her face as she ate some more pasta.

"You know," she told him. "Have you ever even said the word crap? Or anything worse?"

"I can't say that I swear that often," Steve told her and she looked slightly shocked at hearing him.

"Who are you?" she wondered, her voice airy and bright as she did so and Steve allowed a hearty laugh to escape him as the pair smiled at each other and then lapsed back into silence, continuing to eat their pasta.

"Anyway, you'll come, won't you?" Steve spoke after a couple of moments. "I don't want to go to a party alone and Tony informed me that I could bring a friend."

"So you call him Tony?" Elizabeth checked with him, slightly confused as to why they were going to a party at Tony Stark's apartment the next evening. Well, she knew the reason why, she just didn't know why Steve had been invited when he had just bumped into him on the street.

"Would you like me to call him Iron Man?" Steve wondered and Lizzie shook her head.

"No. I'm just confused as to why you call him Tony and not address him like you do anyone else."

"Well, he's an obnoxious ass," Steve grinned after a moment and Lizzie shrieked, resting her bowl in between her bent knees and stomach as she clapped wildly.

"So he does swear," she joked and Steve stood up with his empty bowl, bowing slightly to her applause as she handed him her empty dish and watched him walk away, the smile never leaving her face.

...

"I look like a mess," Elizabeth complained as Steve pulled two champagne glasses off of a silver tray when a waitress walked past with them balancing on it. He passed one to Elizabeth as one arm wrapped across her midriff and the other held onto the glass and she delicately sipped on the sparkling liquid, glancing around the room at all the other people who were wearing designer gowns and holding designer clutches. Lizzie simply had time to go into Topshop and choose out a dress in the sales.

"You look lovely," Steve promised her, his hand softly moving onto the small of her back, trying to give her some encouragement before she looked up at him, his hand on her back making her stomach warm up slightly.

"I should have tied my hair up," Lizzie simply mumbled, pulling down the material to the short black dress which she wore and dropped her hand to hold her clutch by her side.

"I prefer it down," Steve told her, wishing that she wouldn't be so down on herself as he noted Tony walk into the room, a crowd formed around him and they began to clap as he extended his arms and waved off their congratulations for him on saving the world. Steve remained stood where he was, watching with vague amusement at Tony and his pompous attitude. He wondered what it would be like if people knew his secret. What would they think?

But, he didn't care. He didn't want people to know he was Captain America. He was fine without attention, unlike Tony. Besides, if anyone were to find out then he knew that he wanted to tell Elizabeth first. It was strange. He never thought that he would care for anyone again in the modern world. He'd been convinced that he didn't fit in. He'd been sure that everyone would walk past him and not notice his existence. That tended to be the done thing in NY. And then he'd met Lizzie. He supposed it had been an accident that they'd met, but, he was fortunate they had.

It seemed as if he was allowed a life after Peggy.

"Why are we here again?" Lizzie wondered from him and he smirked, moving his hand from her back as Tony noted him and gave him a sly look.

"We're here because you said that you wouldn't mind seeing inside Stark Towers."

"Just to be nosy," Elizabeth told him. "I saw it in Elle magazine and that was it. His partner was showing them around."

"Pepper," Steve automatically said and she looked at him with scepticism.

"How do you know her name?" she wondered. "You had no idea who Alicia Keys was and she's more famous."

"Tony told me," Steve said and Elizabeth nodded with a small sigh. That seemed possible too she guessed.

"Mr Rogers!" Tony's voice boomed out as people went about their own business, taking advantage of the free bar and the canapés. "Pleasure to meet you again."

"You too, Mr Stark," Steve said back, keeping up his facade. His eyes continued to glower in Tony's direction as Stark couldn't help but grin and look onto Elizabeth.

"And this must be your beautiful girlfriend," Tony said, offering her his hand and Lizzie handed him her free hand, shaking it softly whilst Elizabeth shook her head.

"Steve and I are just friends, Mr Stark," Lizzie set him straight.

"I'm not buying it," Tony replied and she shook her head at him. "Mr Rogers here is just too good looking to still be single, wouldn't you agree?"

Elizabeth took a moment or two to look up to Steve who had also flushed a scarlet red colour, his blue eyes still completely focused on her. She allowed herself to stare back at Tony who seemed to have a face which held a look of amusement.

"He's a very charming individual," Elizabeth assured him.

"He's almost hero like, isn't he?" Tony said; the cheeky grin still on his face. Steve shook his head, dropping his hand onto his hip. "I mean, look at those muscles. Even I'm falling for him."

"Tell me again how you know Steve, Mr Stark," Elizabeth checked with him and Tony scratched the beard on his chin before twirling his finger around and looking over to Steve and then back to Elizabeth, the smile never faltering on his face.

"I met him the other day. He was discussing how I'd managed to save the world. Wondered how I did it."

"Well, you weren't alone, were you?" Elizabeth checked, already having a disliking for the man. Stark could sense as much. He saw how she was a common New York woman. She had time for those she instantly liked whilst anyone who got under her skin was basically considered an ant.

"No," Tony admitted. "I did have help from the Green Man and a couple of agents. I also think a Norse God turned up, along with someone from the forties wearing a starry spangled suit."

Elizabeth remained silent for a moment, looking onto Tony as she did so.

"You don't honestly believe that it was a God, do you?" she asked from him. "And it couldn't have been Captain America. He died ages ago. He'd be old enough to be a grandfather now or something."

"He would," Tony spoke. "But tell me this, you don't think that the Green Hulk was an illusion, do you?"

"Gamma radiation," Elizabeth spoke quickly. "I read about it. That's logical. A God from another world isn't and neither is a man from out of time."

"How can you explain the hammer?"

"I can't," Elizabeth admitted. "I can't explain half of what just happened."

"And if there is no explanation then you can do nothing else but believe what you're told," Tony counteracted and noted how she scowled. She knew he had a point. She just didn't want to admit it.

"It seems we're going to just have to agree to disagree on this matter, Mr Stark," she said, deciding to be polite and offering her the most charming smile she had available, even though it felt more like a grimace.

"Seems so," Stark nodded. "So, Steve told me literally nothing about you."

"I don't like to talk about people behind their backs," Steve informed Tony who rolled his eyes softly at hearing that.

"Such a sweetheart, isn't he?" Tony tormented and Steve shook his head, folding his arms against the white shirt he wore. "Anyway, what is it you do?"

"I'm a secretary at an accountants and a waitress at a coffee shop," she said and Tony took a moment to nod.

"I take it that wasn't your life ambition?"

"Of course it was," Elizabeth said, mock hurt on her face. "Serving coffee to those who take it for granted was something I'd dreamed of doing since I was a child."

"Sarcastic, too," Tony commented, pointing at her for a moment and she shrugged nonchalantly. "What do I always say?" he continued, looking at Steve who was completely uncomfortable with the entire situation. "These modern women can eat you alive. It seems that you're too callous for a man like our Steve."

"Elizabeth is a pleasant young lady," Steve defended her and Tony raised his hands up in defence. "And I'm sure she wouldn't think of 'eating me up' as you put it."

"I bet she would in a way you don't understand," Tony said, the innuendo being wasted on Steve but picked up on by Elizabeth whose eyes opened wide and cheeks turned pink whilst Tony mentally congratulated himself.

"I'm going to go and use the bathroom," Lizzie excused herself, pointing in a left direction with her clutch bag before wandering off through the throngs of people and Steve watched her, his eyes instantly drawn to her backside as he scolded himself and Tony watched his stare, the laughter never leaving his eyes.

"She's a feisty one," Tony said, slapping Steve on the back. "You're going to have a lot of fun with that one."

"We're just friends, Tony."

"With benefits?"

"Pardon?"

"It doesn't matter," Tony shook his head. "You need to be getting in there, Cap. She won't be single for long if you don't make a move."

"I'm not rushing into anything," Steve replied. "I'd appreciate it if you don't make remarks about our past."

"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" Tony wondered, his hand flying up to his chest and resting over his heart whilst Steve rolled his eyes.

"Bluntly, yes," Steve nodded and Tony chuckled before Pepper made her way over to him, a look of distress eating up her features.

"And here is my gorgeous CEO," Tony said and Pepper shook her head, indicating that it wasn't the time for him to be loud.

"Director Fury called for you," she informed him. "He said it was urgent."

"He's probably forgotten I invited him tonight and wants to apologise." Tony chuckled and Pepper sighed, looking at Steve who was staring back at her, still cautious about what was happening.

"He told me to get both of you. He needs to see you tonight."

"This doesn't sound good."

"It isn't," Pepper confirmed. "He wants you to suit up."

...

A/N: Oooo, slight cliff hanger there! Apologies! Thank You to Imaginary Owls, .sisters and Silver Eyed Slayer for reviewing the previous chapter!

Noticed a lot of people are following but not reviewing too, so please, just let me know what you think! I love working off of your feedback!


	12. Chapter 12

"I have to go," Steve informed Elizabeth when he saw her walking back from the bathroom, her eyes looking down into her clutch as she fished around inside of it, checking to make sure her keys were still in her bag. She looked up as soon as Steve spoke to her and her mouth fell open slightly; worry coursing through her veins as she did so.

"What's happened?" she asked him and he began to think about what to say to her. Did he tell her? Did he just come clean and allow her to know? No, it wasn't the time. He didn't want to tell her at some party and then have to up and leave without giving her the explanation which she deserved.

"It's the boss," he simply said. "I need to go and sort something out."

"You're a soldier, Steve," she reminded him. "You don't just get deployed out the country and sort something out."

Steve placed his hands onto his hips, glancing around the room as he felt her continue to stare at him, her beady eyes sizing him up, trying to deduce if he was telling her the truth.

"I work for a special department," he whispered, his voice sounding rather convincing as he watched her blink profusely and she nodded once at him. That seemed to make sense. She had heard of places with special departments, she just never thought of them as being something which Steve would work in. "I'm really sorry, Lizzie."

"No," Elizabeth forced a smile onto her face. "It's fine. I'll just go down and call a cab home."

"You don't have to go-"

"-No offence, Steve," Lizzie smirked, "I don't think that I could handle this if you weren't with me."

A tight quirk of his lips told Lizzie that he was slightly happy by her answer before he spoke again. "Okay. I'll walk down with you and make sure you get a cab."

"Thanks," Lizzie spoke softly, allowing her arm to be wrapped around Steve's as he led her to the elevator and past all of the milling guests who continued to stare at them. Lizzie didn't pretend not to know why they stared. He was Steve Rogers. He was too stunning looking for his own good. She often wondered why he showed an interest in her sometimes. He surely had more beautiful girls running around after him other than her. But, he stuck by her as if she was the only person who he had in the world. She didn't know what they had. Friends was right. She just didn't know if she cared for him more than a friend should care. It was strange, really.

"Do you know when you'll be back?" Elizabeth asked Steve and he shook his head at her, his hair moving around his face as he made the motion and Elizabeth had to attempt not to look disappointed at watching him. Since when had she become so attached to a guy? Maybe some time apart would be best. She could get over the crush she was developing and she had space. Or it could maybe be worse than she thought. She wasn't too sure just yet.

"I'll come around as soon as I come home," Steve promised her, hailing a cab successfully as it pulled up and he opened the door for her. She stood on the other side of it, continuously looking at him as he stared back, wondering what was wrong with her.

And then he noted something rise up in her eyes. It was something which he had seen multiple other times before. She was scared. The worst part was that Steve knew she was scared for him. The lie suddenly hit him then. It wasn't just himself who would be affected by his alias. It would be Lizzie.

"I will be back," he promised her and she nodded, forcing herself to smile and not be so worried about him. He was a soldier. She was sure he could handle himself and didn't need her to be panicking about him. "You don't need to worry about me, Lizzie. You're the one who needs to stay safe."

Lizzie snorted once at hearing him.

"Come on, love. We don't have all day!" the driver shouted.

"Shut up!" Lizzie snapped back. "I'll pay you for the extra two minutes if it worries you that much!"

Steve looked at her as she glanced back at him, nodding sternly to herself, realising that she needed to go before her emotions betrayed her and knowing her that was going to happen the way she was feeling at the moment in time.

"See?" Lizzie checked with him, encouragingly smiling in his direction. "I can easily take care of myself. It's you who needs to be careful, okay?"

"I'll see you later," Steve said to her and she agreed with him, wondering how to say goodbye. But, she simply crawled into the cab and waved simply to Steve as it drove away.

...

"What do you mean he escaped?" Steve was the one to snap as soon as they all met on top of Stark Towers. He didn't have time to go and get his suit, deciding that he'd get it when he needed to. Instead he'd simply sat on the ledge of the building, watching as the rest of them stood around Fury.

"I mean that he escaped, Rogers," Fury barked back and Tony shook his head at hearing that, moving around the rooftop with his suit still intact. But, he didn't really know how to react to the news which he'd just heard. He had thought that it was all over. Apparently not. "It's quite self explanatory, isn't it?"

"It's quite ridiculous," Stark commented simply, rolling his eyes as he did so. "So they just let him out of Asgard, did they? Where was Thor during all of this?"

"We don't know," Fury replied. "All we know is that Loki is out in Earth again and we don't know where."

"And the tesseract?" Dr Banner wondered, pushing his glasses further onto his nose as he did so. He'd been staying in New York at Stark Towers, deciding to do some research on disease in Tony's state of the art lab. It made sense to him. He was trying to control his inner demon and he was doing a good job.

"They never destroyed it." Fury shook his head and Stark chuckled loudly when he heard that, patting Fury on the back quickly.

"Great job!" he spoke clearly. "So you mean to say that he's got the tesseract too? And what can Thor do right? What part of you thought that giving him the tesseract was a good idea?"

"We all agreed on it," Natasha butted in, glaring at Stark. "We don't know what Loki has got planned up his sleeve. We need to hunt him down before he can do anything rash."

"So what?" Steve wondered, standing up tall and folding his arms, his eyes roaming around the people who were stood on the roof as he took control. He found it odd in some way. He was able to command a group of people yet he struggled to talk to a girl and tell her how he felt. He doubted any of it would really make sense to him. "We now have to go out and find Loki again?"

"That's exactly the plan," Fury nodded and Steve shook his head, turning back to look over NY whilst Tony moved around, thinking about what they had just been told.

"And we have no idea where he is?" Tony checked and Fury shook his head.

"All we know is what Thor told us. He's escaped and we don't know where about on Earth he will be. But, if he had the tesseract then we know it can't be good."

"No," Tony said in a drawl, sarcasm escaping his voice as he did so. "What do you mean it can't be good? I'd consider this the best news ever if you hadn't interrupted my party and caused the Cap to miss out on his chance to get laid tonight!"

It was then when everyone's eyes turned onto Steve who surveyed them all and shrugged softly back at them, not really understanding what Tony was saying if he had to be honest.

Barton arched a brow and looked over to Natasha who shrugged at him whilst Banner coughed softly and Fury had his lips set in a firm line before looking back over to Steve.

"And what exactly have you told Miss Meyer?" he wondered and Steve shook his head. He knew that they had done a background check on Elizabeth and he wasn't particularly impressed with that. In fact, he considered upmost rude if he had to be honest. He just didn't feel the need to mention it.

"Nothing to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. if that's what you're worried about," Steve promised Fury. "Elizabeth doesn't know about anything and I intend to keep it that way until I see fit."

"Until you see fit?" Fury checked with him, his voice low and commanding as Steve nodded once, not seeing what his problem was. "You're not to see fit, Captain. And that's an order."

"Why shouldn't the gal know?" Tony interrupted their staring contest. "Pepper knows all about me-"

"-You're not a seventy year old man," Fury snapped back at him. "Rogers isn't supposed to be here. If I had my way then no one would know your secrets. You decided to go into the limelight, Stark."

"He doesn't want the limelight," Stark complained, motioning to Steve. "Look at him. I'm guessing he has most girls fawning all over him – not as many as me, but that's not the point – and he tends to just sit in his apartment most days until she's finished working so he can see her. One person won't hurt."

"And what happens when this one person tells another person?"

"She wouldn't do that," Steve interrupted, his hands balling into fists by his side as he looked at Fury, anger coursing inside of his veins as he did so. "Elizabeth is an honest woman."

"I don't want her to jeopardise what you have, Rogers," Fury informed Steve who shook his head, knowing full well that Elizabeth wouldn't do that to him. He knew her and had undoubted faith in her. It was her who lacked faith in everyone else. "If word were to get out that you were Captain America then things would never be the same again."

"I'm well aware, sir," Steve promised him. "I know that it won't come to that."

"If this girl means so much to you then you can tell her after five months, understood?"

"But-"

"-This isn't up for negotiating, Rogers. You've known her all of five minutes. You don't know her that well. Get a chance to do that and then we will see about you telling her your little secret."

"Fine," Steve said through gritted teeth before continuing to complain under his breath.

...

Elizabeth paid the cab driver before climbing out from the yellow vehicle and pulling her keys out from her bag, twirling them around her finger and walking into the flat, looking around the empty street as she went. She pushed the door open and climbed the steps up to her flat, the light in the hallway dimly lit and flickering as she noted a tall man stood at the end of the corridor near her door. Hesitantly, she slowed down, her eyebrow arched as she did so.

"Hello," she spoke softly, looking at him with wonder as his eyes turned to look onto her.

"Miss Meyer, isn't it?" he spoke, his voice ice cold and Elizabeth nodded, wondering if he was the elusive landlord. It would make sense. She hadn't seen him in the entire time that she had lived in the flat.

"Yeah," Lizzie confirmed. "I don't think that I've seen you around here."

"You haven't," he nodded once, pulling the scarf down the lapels of his coat as his mouth picked up into a grin and his eyes flashed dangerously in her direction. She continued to look worried at the expression and she nodded.

"Right, well," she coughed, "if you don't mind then I'll just be going in."

"Actually," he spoke quickly, standing in front of her door to stop her from entering. "I do mind. A lot, if it is all the same to you."

"Who are you?" Lizzie snapped at him, pushing her hair behind her shoulder as she looked at him.

"I'm a God," he told her and she finally noted where she'd seen him before. He'd been on the news a few weeks before. She'd seen him. But it couldn't be him. It just couldn't.

"I think you should go," Lizzie demanded him, pushing past to get to her door before she felt his hand on her shoulder, pushing her backwards and she stumbled, falling to the ground. Her rightful place. Quickly, she stood back up, her cheeks puffing out and turning red with extreme rage at what had happened.

"Seriously?" Elizabeth checked. "Get the hell out of here!"

"Who do you think you are, mortal?" he hissed at her. "You have no power over me. Believe me, I would not be here unless I had to be."

"What are you talking about?" Lizzie hissed and he chuckled.

"I'm talking about your soldier," he informed her. "The man from out of time. I need to have my revenge and I know the perfect way to do it."

...

A/N: Whoa! All kicking off now! Exciting times indeed! Thanks to H.E. Vaughn, ZOMG its Angie, stinkysox, Marmite Jones, Nicole Glimmer and Silver Eyed Slayer for reviewing!

So, fifty one favourite's and eighty two followers! Awesome! Never had that many for so few chapters! Loving in writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it so please do let me know what you think! As I said, updates won't be as frequent due to Uni kicking in again but until then your view is very much appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13

"You really are insane," Elizabeth commented as she stood behind the full glass cage, wandering around and looking at her surroundings. She wasn't sure where she was or how she had gotten there. The last thing which she remembered was Loki stood over her and then she became unconscious and woke up in a glass box. She was annoyed, that much was clear. She'd looked around but seen nothing. The room she was in was just large and concrete and that was it. There was nothing else except for the man stood outside the cage.

"No, you'll find it is you that is insane if you think for one moment that the man you know is simply Steve Rogers," Loki informed her, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked around the glass, his eyes piercing into her as Elizabeth remained stood up, twirling on the spot and continuously looking at him. She didn't believe anything about him was true or honest. In fact, she was pretty sure that he was mental.

"That's funny," Elizabeth drawled, wafting her arms in the air as she looked at him. "Who do you think he is? A soldier from out of time, didn't you say?"

"I did," Loki confirmed. "The man who was frozen after the War and only awoke a few weeks ago. He is Captain America and he is Steve Rogers. How could he not have told you?"

"Maybe because he isn't?" Elizabeth suggested and Loki stood still, looking at her as she glared back at him. "I don't know what the hell you want, but I suggest you let me go before-"

"-Before what?" Loki interrupted her, a quick shrug of his shoulders coming through and Elizabeth walked closer to the glass, her eyes never leaving Loki's as he smiled lightly. "Before you escape and kill me? Believe me, that won't happen. Did you not see what I did to your precious New York?"

"I saw," she confirmed with a nod. "I also saw how you were beat. Which also leads me onto the question of how you're here when they caught you?"

"The superhero group was nothing," Loki hissed, his voice harsh and wound up. "I am far more superior then you care to give me credit for. Who do you think you are? I won't lose again. I can assure you of that."

"Surely people will be out looking for you?" Elizabeth checked. "You're a God, aren't you?"

"I am," he confirmed. "I'm a God and everyone on Earth will learn that. You bow down to anyone who poses a threat. You will obey me."

"We didn't last time," Lizzie snapped. "What makes you think that we will this time?"

"This time will be different," he promised her. "This time I will succeed."

"I doubt it," Elizabeth snorted loudly. "What is the point in this? Why am I here?"

"Are all human this stupid?"

"I don't know," Lizzie replied, "are all Gods this pompous and ass like?"

"You really are spirited, aren't you?"

"No. I just don't take kindly to being kidnapped by random Gods and being lied to," Elizabeth informed him, pulling at the black dress which she wore on her frame. She knew that she must have looked a mess. Her hair felt completely astray and her make-up was ruined along with dirt on her dress. But, she didn't care at that moment in time. All she wanted was to go home.

"I'm not lying to you," Loki promised her. "You're here so that I can lure him and his friends out of wherever they're hiding. It will happen. I can promise you that."

"You're forgetting one thing," Elizabeth snapped back, slipping out from her heels and kicking them to the side as she walked closer to the glass, observing it and wondering if it could easily be smashed. "Steve is just a solder. Captain America is dead. And you're completely insane."

"Tell me where Steve is now?" Loki wondered from her, his hands moving in front of him and his eyes glaring at her. "He told you that he had to go away on work, didn't he?"

Elizabeth remained silent, wondering what was going on. How did he know that? He wasn't at the party. Her eyes widened as she continued to watch him and her mouth hung open slightly as Loki arched a brow and nodded at her, the sinister look still occupying his face.

"I have my ways of finding things out," he promised her. "Business with a secret organisation in the army? Honestly? You believe that? No, I can bet you that your beloved soldier is working with the rest of the Avengers and plotting a way to find me. Did you not wonder where he was in the build up to my attack on New York? Did he tell you that he was on business then?"

Elizabeth remained silent, not able to say anything back to him as she listened, her head spinning as she continued to take in his words. It couldn't be true. She was sure that it couldn't be true. Captain America was the man she was learning about when she was too interested in what President Clinton was doing. Captain America was a World War Hero. He couldn't have been in New York. She was sure it had to be someone else. And Steve? The man she had bonded so close to? It wasn't true.

"You're lying" she decided to say, her voice quite forceful as she did so and Loki rolled his eyes, tired of listening to her denial of who Steve really was. "That man was not _the _Captain America. It isn't possible to freeze someone alive for seventy years and then have them wake up."

"Your precious soldier can tell you for himself when he comes to try and rescue you."

"He won't," Elizabeth denied. "He isn't him."

"So it is true," Loki decided to speak before he walked away from the large glass cage which she was being housed in as she walked right up to the glass and watched him leave. "Humans really are naive."

...

Steve sat on the armchair in Stark towers, overlooking the city whilst the others spoke amongst themselves and waited for Thor to make his arrival to Earth. Tony had been going around and making unnecessary comments to entertain himself at the expense of others. Steve had remained silent, his fist clenched and resting against his lips as he thought about Lizzie and what she was doing.

The party had ended but the mess was still there and around. Fury had informed them that S.H.I.E.L.D had a new base underground in the city where no one could find them. They just had to wait for Thor to make his arrival and explain and then they would go.

"Why don't you go and see her?" Tony suggested, sitting on the arm of the chair which Steve was in. He lifted his blue stare up to look into Tony's eyes and he shrugged at the Captain. "Nothing is happening here and Thor can tell you everything which has happened when we get to the base."

"I should stay here with all of you," Steve said, his soldier instincts taking over him as he spoke to Tony and Iron Man cocked his head to the side.

"No offence, Cap," he drawled. "I'm tired of seeing your miserable face in my apartment of happiness. You should go and say goodbye properly to her."

"Why do you think that this is a goodbye?" Steve wondered, a brow arched on his pale face and Tony chuckled, looking straight ahead to where Pepper was talking to Natasha about something or nothing.

"We've come up against Loki before," he spoke. "I fell out from the sky and almost died. I didn't, of course, I knew I wouldn't."

"What are you trying to say, Stark?" Steve said through gritted teeth and a bored sigh escaped his parted lips.

"I'm trying to say that none of us are invincible," Tony said. "You should know that."

"I do."

"So go and say goodbye to her." Tony urged him. "I'm not one for sentiment or really caring about other people."

"No kidding?" Steve asked him sarcastically and Tony grinned sweetly at him.

"Hey, I liked your girl. She was funny and smart. The complete opposite to you," Tony joked and Steve remained silent, thinking about what Tony was saying. "I know you can't tell her about you but you should just go and see her. Maybe even get some."

"Get some what?" Steve asked and Tony had to resist the urge to laugh out loud when he heard him.

"Never mind. Just get out of here, will you?"

...

Steve had remained seated for another five minutes before he thought about what Tony had told him to do and he quickly stood up and moved away. Everyone watched as he moved over to the lift but no one said anything until he had gone and they asked where he was going. Tony had simply remained seated, a sly grin on his face as he watched the Captain.

Steve called for a cab and jumped in quickly, giving the driver Elizabeth's address as he continued to think about what Tony had just told him. Stark wasn't the type of man to worry about what would happen to him in the future. Before he fell from the sky that day he had thought that he was invincible. And then he'd called Pepper and she hadn't picked up and he thought about what he should have told her and what he could have lost. He didn't wish that on anyone. Not even an annoying superhero who had been frozen for decades.

He knocked on her door, hammering and shouting for her to open up, but he received nothing. He shook his head, wondering where she could be before he noted something which sat on the floor. It was her clutch bag. Steve dropped down to crouch, his hands picking it up and looking at it, wondering why she had left it out in the landing. He looked back to the door before standing up again, knocking before he shook his head.

Quickly, Steve pushed the door, knocking it open in one sweep and glancing around the dark flat.

"Lizzie!" he called out her name, opening the bedroom door. Nothing. He didn't receive any reply at all. Steve shook his head, wondering what could have happened to her. Surely it wasn't Loki. Loki couldn't get anything out of her. Apart from luring Steve to him. And if Steve was lured then the rest of them would follow. It would make sense for him to want revenge.

Yet, Elizabeth didn't fit into any of his plans. He was sure of that much. She was bait and Steve knew Loki would succeed in reeling him in.

He did know what that meant though. Loki would tell Elizabeth. He only hoped that she'd understand him.

...

"So I do get fed?" Lizzie asked Loki as soon as a tray of food had randomly appeared in the middle of her cage. She looked onto the mash potato and vegetables with a certain degree of distain at the look of it. God's clearly didn't understand human cooking.

"I can easily take it back," Loki warned her, his brow arched as she shook her head, too tired to argue with him. She remained sat against the glass, her legs crossed underneath her and her back resting against it as she sighed. She was fed up and confused.

"Whatever," Lizzie mumbled under her breath. "You should let me go."

"I really shouldn't," Loki responded with a dark chuckle. "Don't worry; your beloved Captain will be here soon. Then the pair of you can rot in there for as long as I see fit."

"You're such an asshole," Elizabeth informed him.

"Your human insults do nothing to annoy me," Loki told her. "Now, be a good girl and stay put, yes? I have business to attend to."

...

A/N: Uh Oh. Bad times indeed. Thank you to mericat H. E. Vaughn, ZOMG its Angie, tibtia10, stinkysox and APH-Indonesia!

So sorry that updates are going downhill what with uni and all that taking over again! But, I won't give up on this story so reviews are totally encouraging.


	14. Chapter 14

"I do not know what my brother has planned. I can assure you of that much," Thor informed the team as they stood in the high tech lab and Bruce continued his work, trying to search for Loki, just like before. The equipment was clearly more advanced than that what was found on the hellicarrier and Bruce had to admit that it was quite interesting to work with. So far there had been no sign of Loki. It seemed as if the God didn't want to be found this time.

"And how exactly did he escape?" Stark wondered; his arms folded and a shrug coming from his shoulders as Thor turned his eyes onto the man and glared at him. Stark once again found himself holding his hands up in surrender at what he was seeing. "What?" he wondered. "I'm curious to know how he managed to worm his way back onto Earth after you claimed that you had tighter security in your dungeon."

"My brother is many things," Thor admitted. "Deceitful is one of them."

"I can think of a whole range of things which your brother is," Tony muttered and Thor jutted his chin out, annoyed with the man's thinking.

"Be careful how you speak," he warned him and Bruce rolled his eyes softly, typing away on his computer as he continued to eavesdrop into the conversation. He found it odd and amazing how Thor would never hear a bad word against his brother, even after all that he had done.

"Loki's been causing us nothing but trouble," Clint spoke up and Natasha looked at him wearily as he folded his arms against his chest and stared at Thor who returned his look, their eyes evenly matching and challenging as they did so. "I don't think we need to be careful how we speak about him now, do you?"

"He is still of Asgard," Thor defended and Stark snorted, waving his hand as he walked to a computer next to Bruce and began to look onto what the man was doing.

"He's on Earth now. We'll be taking care of him and doing your work for you, as per usual."

"You need to learn how to hold your tongue," Thor hissed and Natasha allowed herself to scoff at hearing that. Stark would never be able to keep his mouth shut. Everyone's eyes then turned onto her and she coughed softly and looked away, not meeting them.

"My brother has appeared to have become unreasonable. I may not know how to change this, but, I shall help to find him," Thor declared as the door suddenly burst open. He looked over to Steve as he panted for breath and then he finally returned his glance, Steve's eyes full of hatred and anger as he did so. He quickly moved over to Thor, standing tall and narrowing his piercing blue eyes in his direction, the hatred completely recognisable.

"Your brother has taken my friend," Steve snapped out and Bruce slid off from the stool he was sat on whilst Tony looked upwards, completely confused as to what was happening. Thor raised a blonde brow at hearing him and Steve continued to talk, the anger inside of him causing him to well up as he thought about what could have happened to Elizabeth.

None of this was his fault. He kept on telling himself that. He wanted to live a normal life. He had wanted to tell her who he was but he knew that he couldn't. S.H.I.E.L.D. had ruined him if he had lost her, he knew that much.

"Slow down," Natasha declared, seeing that the man who had once led them needing someone to lead him. His eyes widened as he looked across to her and she crossed her legs at the ankles, waiting for some clarification into what had happened. "What's happened, Steve?"

"Elizabeth has gone," Steve spoke simply. "I went to her apartment and there was nothing there-"

"-Maybe she went for a walk?" Clint suggested and Tony snorted, shaking his head and moving to stand next to Steve.

"You don't go for a walk at night in NY," he said back to him. "We know it is the city that never sleeps but only in some parts. Where she lives then it isn't logical."

"And her purse was in the hallway," Steve said just as the automatic doors opened and Fury entered, the leather coat swishing behind him as per usual and Steve turned onto him, his blood seeming to heat up in his veins as he did so.

"What is going on in here?" Fury demanded.

"Steve's girl has been kidnapped," Tony said and Fury froze, his spine stiffen and his whole posture turning rigid as he did so

"And do we know that for-"

"-Yes!" Steve interrupted before he could even gain the chance to finish the sentence he was going to speak. He knew she had been kidnapped. He was one hundred per cent sure of it. And he knew that it was Loki. Everything about the entire situation had him written all over it. "I know she has been kidnapped and know it is Loki! Where else could she be?"

"I don't know," Fury replied. "This city is massive, Rogers. What would Loki want with your girl?"

"I don't know!" Steve snapped back at him and Banner blinked profusely at what he was seeing. He had never seen Steve so wound up before or so emotional. It was almost nerve wrecking to watch. "I don't know what Loki wants with Lizzie! All I know is that it can't be anything good! You should have let me tell her! You should never have made me keep this secret!"

"This is not my fault, Captain," Fury sniped back. "I didn't ask for your girl to be kidnapped, did I?"

"You never helped to stop him! If I told her...if she knew...if she knew me...then maybe...maybe she'd still be here..."

Tony placed a firm hand onto the Captain's back, his feeble attempt at soothing him as he looked back at him and Stark nodded once, trying to assure him that everything would be okay. Why shouldn't the guy get emotional every now and then? It only made sense. He may be a laboratory experiment but he still had feelings.

"I don't know where Loki is," Fury informed Steve, looking at the soldier who had taken a deep breath in his feeble attempt to calm himself down. He would find her. He would find her if it was the last thing which he did, he knew that much. "And we don't know if he has your girl or not. We have no evidence. Until we find him then we don't assume anything. Understand me, Rogers?"

"I don't see why we're not assuming," Steve spoke back, his teeth gritted together in annoyance and Fury pursed his lips, truly annoyed by Rogers outburst. The disappearance of his girlfriend had nothing to do with him and insinuating anything otherwise wound Fury up and over the edge.

"Assumptions can be wrong and often dangerous. I know this is hard for you, Captain. You seem to care a lot about Miss Meyer. But, finding Loki is priority number one, do you all understand me?"

No one said anything but there were some nods. Even Stark just nodded at hearing Fury, knowing full well that Steve's number one priority was finding Loki because he knew Elizabeth would be with him.

Fury looked at them for one final sweep and left the room, needing to inform the other agents of the business involving Loki.

"He really can grate on you after a while," Banner spoke, moving past Steve and Tony to another computer whilst Barton and Natasha moved off into a corner, their hands covering their mouths as they whispered to one another. Thor walked back over to Steve, looking at him with something resembling sympathy.

"You believe my brother has taken your girlfriend?" he checked and Tony rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest as he did so.

"Well, obviously," he spoke slowly and deliberately. "Where have you been for that entire conversation?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Steve interjected.

"She's as good as," Tony declared to him. "The pair of them are inseparable and Steve dotes upon her every word even if she is a cynical waitress."

"Do not talk about her like that," Steve hissed and Tony outstretched his hand as if to offer Thor something. Which he had done.

"See," he said and Thor nodded, his finger resting on his lips as he did so.

"My brother must have a plan if he took this Miss Meyer," Thor informed Steve who nodded in agreement with him. "The grudge which he has is not against you, Captain. It is against myself as I am his brother. I am the one who took him back to Asgard and punished him."

"You see, there is the issue," Tony pointed out. "He has an issue with us all. We all beat him, didn't we? He's hurting us via those who we care about. This is Loki. He knows exactly how to get what he wants, doesn't he? Clearly he thinks that by taking those who we love will cause us to worry and then not be as effective as before. I mean, look at the Cap. He's going crazy already. None of us are thinking clearly knowing the people we love are in trouble...holy crap..."

Before Steve or Thor had the chance to say anything Tony had pulled his phone out from his pocket and had it pressed to his ear. He allowed it to ring for several seconds and then hung up, looking around at everyone in the room.

"Pepper," Steve suddenly whispered after a moment and Tony looked at him without saying anything.

...

Elizabeth had remained seated on the floor after eating the meal which had resembled nothing like what she would normal cook. It had disappeared as soon as the food had gone and she'd sighed to herself, leaning back before she heard someone shout out loud. She could tell it was another woman as the glass seemed to part. She wondered if she could make it out, but then two people came into vision. There was a man and another man holding a blond woman by her arms and dragging her forwards whilst Loki remained in the background and she kept yelling at him.

"I've brought you a friend to play with," Loki smiled tauntingly, his eyes never Lizzie's as the woman fell into the cage. Lizzie walked over to her, offering her a hand and helping her back to her feet as the pair of them turned to look at Loki.

"What's the point in this?" Elizabeth snapped, recognising the woman to be the one and only Pepper Potts. Tony Stark's girlfriend and former CEO.

"Iron Man's girlfriend along with Captain America's girlfriend," Loki clarified. "The two of you are quite the catch to lure the superheroes in with."

"Steve isn't Captain America!" Elizabeth snapped at him, walking forwards to the edge of the glass and hitting it with her fist just like Steve had taught her. It didn't do anything, but, it did make her feel a little less frustrated. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Pepper remained silent as she felt Loki look onto her, knowing that she knew exactly who he was. Stark wasn't exactly quiet when it came to information and she knew all about the entire Avengers initiative. She wasn't as naive as she was playing.

"You don't need to tell me anymore times," Loki promised her, his head nodding over to where Pepper stood. "Miss Potts shall tell you everything which you need to know."

Elizabeth turned around to look at Pepper who was staring at her with wide eyes, wondering why she didn't know. She was aware of how S.H.I.E.L.D. was run and they were secretive. But, Steve surely should have told her. And she shouldn't have been finding out like this.

"I'll leave you two to talk," Loki chuckled and walked off whilst Elizabeth felt her knees become slightly weak, realising that Pepper was the sane one out of her and Loki. And she wasn't denying anything.

...

A/N: Oh dear again! Thanks to Guest, crzyjllybn, Ryn of Magic, StrengthInAtrophy, H.E. Vaughn, Natashafan23, stinkysox, ZOMG its Angie and miller330 for reviewing!

Seriously, every review means a lot to me! Hope you're still enjoying! Can't wait for the next one!


	15. Chapter 15

"He was told not to tell you," Pepper informed Elizabeth after she had explained everything to the young woman. Lizzie had sat against the glass, her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin resting on her knees as she thought about everything which she had just been told. Her mouth was dry and her stomach was churning as she thought about Steve and who he was. "S.H.I.E.L.D are extremely private with their information and you two haven't known each other for too long. Steve didn't really know how to tell you-"

"-It was him who saved my life," Elizabeth interrupted Pepper, her eyes looking up and over to the woman stood before her as Pepper folded her arms and continued to look at the young woman, realising that it had to be a lot to take in. Finding out the man you were so close to was a superhero and had been frozen during the Second World War wasn't something which one would associate in every day conversation. "I told him how Captain America saved my life and he just sat there. He didn't tell me anything."

"How could he when he had been forbidden to?" Pepper asked her, defending Steve. For all it was worth he doted upon the waitress and she wasn't going to let Loki ruin that for him. "I'm sure not a moment went by when he didn't want to tell you the secret."

"But he didn't," Lizzie drawled, dropping her head onto her arms and closing her eyes, her head pounding and her body going into shut down mode as she only hoped that the entire ordeal would be over. Pepper pushed her lips together and watched the blonde for a moment before turning away and moving over to the glass, looking out of it and wondering where she was. She couldn't remember anything which had happened before she was dragged into the room fully conscious, kicking and fighting against them.

"He didn't say anything to me. Jesus...I can't believe it...he was frozen in the ocean...how is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Pepper admitted. And she didn't know. She just knew that there had been a flurry of activity ever since he was found alive. "Just think about it, Elizabeth. The way he acts and talks is like he isn't from around here, isn't it?"

Elizabeth remained mute, thinking of the answer to the question which Pepper had just asked her. She supposed Steve did act slightly strange around her. She just didn't think that it made much sense as to why. Now she thought about it. She thought about the reason as to why he didn't know how to work a computer. She wondered why he had such a hatred for a microwave. And he didn't even know how to work his cell phone that well. And he was polite. Too polite to be from her New York.

"Oh God," Elizabeth whispered, shaking her head. "He's...Steve is _the _Captain America."

Pepper nodded once whilst Elizabeth leant her head back, hitting the glass as she did so and she thought about it for some more time, her eyes widening as she did so. None of it seemed real, she knew that much. She knew she was confused.

"He's the man I learned about in school. This is so surreal...I still can't believe it."

"I know that it is hard to take in," Pepper said to her, sitting down and allowing her legs to dangle out in front of her whilst Elizabeth snorted at hearing that. It was harder than hard to take in. Elizabeth looked across to Pepper who smiled softly at her, trying to be encouraging for her. "Steve's a good man with his heart in the right place. Don't be mad at him because he didn't tell you. Tony told me that you're the only thing he has in this modern world right now. How crazy would you think he was if he told you this? A part of him wanted to tell you and a part of him wanted to wait to make sure it was the right time."

"All of this is crazy," Elizabeth complained. "Nothing is normal about this situation...I don't hate him...I can't hate him...I'm just struggling to think of Steve as Captain America."

"Makes sense," Pepper agreed with a nod. "They'll come for us and get us out of this mess. I can promise you that."

"Can you really?" Elizabeth mumbled; her brow arched as she did so and Pepper looked at her, realising just how cynical the woman really was. It was like her faith in people was totally doubted. "How do you know that?"

"They're the Avengers," Pepper simply said. "If they defeated Loki once before then they can do it again."

...

"He has Pepper!" Tony snapped as soon as he saw Fury and the one eyed man sighed, his shoulders slumping as he allowed the emotion to run through him and Tony's teeth gritted together at hearing him. Steve was silent, his chin set stubbornly and his hands clenched into fists by his side as he and Stark glared at Fury. "He's hurting the ones who we care about. Why can you not see that?"

"Stark-"

"-Don't Stark me," Tony hissed, shaking his head whilst Thor thought about Jane and where she was. As soon as he had heard the news then he had asked Natasha to get her somewhere safe once again, fearing for what could happen to her if Loki really had taken Elizabeth and Pepper. "We should have acted before. We should have done something as soon as the Cap told us his girl had been taken. Don't stand there and tell me how we don't know it is Loki for certain either."

"I wasn't going to," Fury informed him and Tony nodded.

"Good," he snapped. "We both know that is a lie. Now we need to focus on finding out where Loki exactly is."

"That's what we've been doing," Fury said and they all looked across to where Bruce was sat at the computer, his eyes completely focused on the work which he was doing ever since he had found out Loki was targeting their loved ones. He was worried that doing anything other than that would be pointless.

...

"Come along now, dear," Loki's voice hissed as soon as he allowed the glass to disappear and he held his sceptre in his hands as he pointed it at Pepper, shaking his head as Elizabeth continued to stare at him. "Not you, Miss Potts. Your time will come soon enough, I can promise you that. For now, Captain America is going to be coming out to play. And then my brother can see that I am not being weak."

"What are you planning to do?" Elizabeth wondered as she felt Loki's hand move around her wrist and drag her from the glass cage whilst Pepper moved over to the sheet and began to thump her fist against it, tired with Loki and his mischievous ways. As soon as Loki's skin touched hers he seemed to flinch, as if the contact hurt him. And it did. He didn't enjoy touching the humans and he would avoid it when he could. But, she needed to see who was the boss.

"My brother thinks that I cannot hut him and his superhero group. He needs to see how wrong he is," Loki drawled and Elizabeth gulped loudly at hearing him as she fought against his hold.

...

"Cap!" Banner suddenly shouted when he saw Steve re enter his lab after going out to talk to Tony about taking matters into their own hands. It certainly seemed like the only option left to them. "There's been a hit on Miss Meyer."

"Where?"

"The top of Brooklyn Bridge," Banner said and Steve froze, thinking about where that was. He knew it wasn't private, that much was for certain. "The police have been called to the scene but Loki blew the bridge up making it impossible for them to get to the pillar. There's a massive hole in the road between where she is stood on the pillar and where the road is. It's all over the news. He wanted you to go and find him."

"And I'm going to," Steve promised him, storming out from the room to go and find out where they were hiding his suit.

...

"You just killed them!" Elizabeth snapped as she peered over the edge of the height which she was stood on and looked straight down where the water was rippling with the sudden emerging police cars. Loki chuckled and walked around the top of the pillar, his eyes looking over onto New York whilst Elizabeth focused on keeping herself calm. The height which she was stood at caused fear to rage through her body as the wind whipped through her hair and she knew what Loki was doing.

"Do you not know who I am?" Loki wondered. "I don't care for human's lives. They hold no interest for me."

"And what makes you think the entire team of them won't come?" Elizabeth asked and Loki chuckled as he heard the noise of Iron Man echo through his ears, the distinct flight sound ringing bells in his mind as he grabbed onto her wrist and dragged her closer to the end, pushing her slightly so she would fall if he let her go.

"Game's over, Loki." Stark's voice came from the suit and Loki chuckled.

"I somehow don't think so," he responded. "Where is the Captain?"

"I believe he is on his way," Tony assured him. "Now, let her go?"

"Really?" Loki wondered, quickly removing his hand from her wrist, causing her to fall slightly before he grabbed onto her again, her screams echoing throughout his ears as she began to sob gently, realising how serious he was. Her life meant nothing to him.

"You can tell the others to leave," Loki spoke deeply and Tony took a moment to think. "I swear that if you go then I shall spare her life. The Captain is the one who needs to be here. Do not test me."

"Go." A sudden voice demanded and Elizabeth's eyes roamed away from Stark and onto the man who stood on the opposite side of the pillar, the mask covering his face but not his eyes. How did Elizabeth now know? As she looked at him now she could see that it was Steve.

"Listen to the leader," Loki smirked, his features causing Steve to feel sick as his eyes finally met Elizabeth's.

"I'm not going-"

"- I can handle this, Stark," Rogers barked back. "He's not going to give up on this."

"You're very clever," Loki assured the Captain as Stark backed away, the view still visible to him as Steve walked closer to the pair of them and Elizabeth struggled in Loki's hold, trying to pull herself back to safety.

"What do you want with her?" Steve wondered and Loki chuckled, shaking his head as he did so.

"Nothing," Loki admitted. "I needed a way to make all of you come out to play. This seemed like a very good way, would you not agree?"

"I disagree," Steve assured him. "She's not a part of this. You won't win, Loki. You didn't before."

"Before you were all united. I plan to stop that from happening this time."

"By hurting those we care about," Steve clarified. "You said that you wouldn't kill her."

"And have I ever been known to keep my word?" Loki wondered; the smug grin still on his face before Steve knew reacting quickly would be the key.

Suddenly, the God of mischief vanished and his grip subsided on Elizabeth as she screamed out loud, her arms wafting around herself as she did so. But balance wasn't able to be regained. She felt herself fall through the air and begin the plummet to the river.

Steve moved to the edge, jumping off of it, stretching his arms in front of him as he threw his shield to the side and focused on making the jump cleanly. As soon as he hit the water he commenced his looking around for her before he noted her submerged in the water, the black dress she wore rode up on her body as she kicked but nothing seemed to be happening, the current too strong.

He swam down, his strength coming through until he reached her and she looked at him as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his body, kicking for the both of them until they reached the surface of the water. Lizzie began to cough out water as Steve did the same, pushing her hair from her eyes as he continued to hold onto her.

"Are you okay?" he spluttered and she nodded.

"Yes," she spoke. "You?"

"Fine," he promised. "Lizzie...I..."

"I know," she simply said back to him. "I know."

He nodded once, pulling his mask down off from his face before he nodded once at her and began to pull them both to safety.

...

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! Totally needed to reunite them! Anyway, do review!


	16. Chapter 16

Steve remained stood out of the way as Elizabeth remained seated in the back of an ambulance as paramedics checked that she was okay and didn't have hypothermia or anything else wrong with her. He'd dragged her through the water and helped her out of it before she was quickly led away by the trained medics and Steve didn't get a say in the matter. He didn't mind. He wanted to make sure that she was safe before they spoke. He also knew that she would be in shock about him. It wasn't something which she would have expected to find out.

The medics had fussed around him but he'd brushed them off, assuring them that he was okay and nothing was wrong with him. He'd put his mask back up, hiding his face from them as they wondered who he could possibly be. He didn't have the intention to tell them who he was.

Tony had flown off, saying that he had to go and find Pepper. Steve had looked at him with regret, wanting to do nothing more than go and help him find her, but, he also wanted to stay with Elizabeth and make sure she was okay. Tony had smirked lightly and understood where he came from. Steve Rogers was being selfish for once. Stark had said that he didn't need a seventy year old man helping him to find his girlfriend.

"Lizzie," Steve whispered when he saw her jump down from the back of the ambulance, a red blanket draped around her shoulders as her lifeless eyes found his warm blue ones. She didn't smile at him. She didn't say anything. She didn't know what to really say.

"Is everything okay?" he wondered and she nodded.

"I'm fine," she promised in a whisper. "They said that I'd be fine to go home...we...I think we need to talk."

"I think so, too," he confirmed and offered her his arm. Elizabeth glanced down at it but didn't move as Steve continued to look at her pale features, pleading silently for her to take hold of him. He craved to feel her hand on his arm, to show him that she was still there for him.

"Do you want to go back to mine?" Elizabeth simply coughed and nodded, not really giving him the chance to answer as she brushed past him and Steve lowered his arm to his side and followed her to the main road. She knew she must have looked a sight. She was stood with Captain America, wearing the drenched dress she wore for Stark's party and she had lost her shoes.

Steve quickly opened the door to the police cruiser which had been told to take her home and Lizzie slid in, silence overcoming the pair of them as she looked out the window and Steve continued to gaze onto her, begging mutely for her to say anything to him. The ride back to her apartment was slow and dull as the cruiser finally pulled up and Steve looked around the sidewalk, people continuously staring at him before he realised he couldn't go in with Lizzie. People would talk and it wouldn't be long before they worked out who he was, especially if the news crews were to get involved.

"I need to go home for a bit," Steve whispered to Elizabeth and she arched a brow in query.

"Why?" she wondered simply. "I know your secret now."

"But no one else does," he mumbled, looking around as people began to talk and Elizabeth followed his eyes and realised what he was worrying about.

"And you want it to stay that way," she concluded and Steve sighed but nodded in agreement. He didn't want to leave her. But he needed to change. Or he could sneak in. He was Captain America; he had his ways of doing things like that even though he knew he shouldn't.

"I'll sneak in through the back," he said and she nodded at him, drawing the blanket tighter around her body before she rushed off into the apartment block and Steve moved down the alleyway as wandering eyes followed him and people moved to the end of the small alley, looking down it and then frowning in concentration as they realised he had disappeared and no one thought any more of it.

Elizabeth took a deep breath when she noted her front door had been broken down and she checked the lock on it, noting that it had been broken. She swore softly to herself when she realised that she couldn't fix it. She'd simply just have to shut it and guard it that night.

"I'll pay for that," Steve's voice suddenly spoke out to her and Elizabeth turned to glare at him. He'd removed his mask from his face and allowed it to hang limply behind him, his hair ruffled up because of it. He was still quite damp from the swim which they'd both endured. "I had to break it earlier because I couldn't find out where you were. I'll fix it."

"Don't worry," Elizabeth shrugged, dropping the red blanket onto her small leather sofa whilst Steve shut the door to and placed his hands onto his hips, waiting for her to initiate the conversation.

"So, you're Captain America, huh?" Elizabeth finally spoke when she realised that he wasn't going to say anything until she did. Steve nodded once to confirm her question and she chuckled, running a hand through her hair as he realised that she should maybe sit down whilst he told her everything. And then he realised that he should maybe make her go and change out of her wet clothes.

"Lizzie," Steve said her name softly, "why don't you go and change? You're sopping wet."

"So are you," Elizabeth noted and Steve shrugged, folding his arms and walking closer to her.

"I'm more...weathered...than you," Steve decided to tell her and she quirked a brow at hearing him.

"Well, you are Captain America," she said, her voice sounding slightly snider than she had deemed for it to be. Steve's lips dropped into a firm frown when he heard her and he wondered what she was thinking. He always wondered what she was thinking.

"You're right," Liz declared, holding her hands up in surrender and moving off to her bedroom, shutting the door and leaning against the closed wood. She closed her eyes and felt her shoulders slump as she sighed to herself. Shaking her head, she moved deeper into her room and pulled off her wet dress, simply dropping it onto the floor and then throwing her pyjamas onto her body, her fluffy dressing gown completing her look.

"Are you mad with me?" Steve blurted out as soon as she walked out of bedroom, her hands pushing her hair behind her ears and her eyes widening at what he had asked. She shook her head quickly as Steve continued to look perplexed.

"I'm not mad with you," she promised him. "Steve...how can I be mad with you? It isn't your fault that you're Captain America, is it?"

"No," Steve agreed. "I just thought that you'd be angry that I never told you."

"I am," Elizabeth confirmed, looking away from those hypnotic eyes of his and onto the kettle which stood on her worktop in the kitchen. "I'm annoyed that you kept something as big as that from me whilst we we're getting on so well...and I told you everything that happened to me...you met my parent's and yet you've been lying to me about who you really are."

"I wanted to tell you-"

"-but you couldn't," Lizzie finished off for him and drew her eyes back onto him. "Pepper told me. She told me about how you were forbidden to tell me anything about yourself. I know everything about this S.H.I.E.L.D. and I know how you were frozen in the ice. I also know about how she was kept behind...Loki still has her."

"I know," Steve promised her, assuring her that Pepper was still being searched for. "Tony and the rest of them are still looking for her. They wanted to ask if you had any idea where she would be."

"I don't know," Elizabeth whispered. "He never told us anything and all I know is the glass cage...and big room...that's it..."

"Okay," Steve whispered soothingly. "It's fine that you don't know anything."

"No, it isn't," Elizabeth snapped back, frustration coursing through her veins as she walked around her living room, the pacing commencing once and for all. "I should know where she is...I should help to find her..."

"That's our job," Steve assured her and she looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I know that Loki took you and I'm sorry for that."

"You're sorry because you think that it is your fault?" Lizzie checked and Steve gulped, his Adam's bobbled bobbing up and down as he did so, the slow nod coming from his body.

"I know that it is my fault," Steve assured her. "I know that if I wasn't Captain America then he wouldn't have come for you. I know that I dragged you into my mess."

"You did," Elizabeth confirmed. "You have no idea how scared I was...being kidnapped by some random God from a different country was not on my agenda at all. I didn't know what was happening...and then to be told that the only reason you've been taken is because of the man who you've come close to. And then I sat there, listening to him telling me that you were Captain America. I didn't even believe him at the start. And then Pepper confirmed."

"I know that I should have been the one to tell you," Steve promised her, stepping closer to her but keeping his distance, knowing that was the best thing that he could so. Steve had never been one to crave for intimacy. Ever since he had lost Peggy there had been nothing. No one had come close to him in the modern world. But as he stood there and looked over at Elizabeth in her distressed state, the urge to soothe her and hold her came over him.

"I can't even begin to imagine how you actually feel," Steve told her and she scoffed gently. "I wanted to tell you on my own terms. I did want you to know who I was. The Director told me that I couldn't. He didn't think we were strong enough or close enough. He didn't trust you with my secret."

"Do you trust me with your secret?" she wondered back and Steve nodded without a moment of hesitation.

"I trust you more than anyone," Steve promised her. "You've been nothing but a friend to me, Elizabeth. I don't know anyone else in this modern world...I don't know what it is like to live here...and then I met you by default...I met you and everything seemed to matter again."

"I...I know..." Elizabeth spoke, speaking through the lump which was forming in her throat. "I know it must have been hard for you to adjust...when everyone who you know is dead. And it does explain you're odd behaviour. It really does."

"I don't want this to come between us," Steve said and Elizabeth looked down onto her sock covered feet, the fluffiness from them occupying her mind.

"It isn't you, Steve," she whispered softly at him, willing for her eyes not to pool up with moisture. "I thought that you were going to be the ordinary thing in my life and you're not that."

"Ordinary isn't the best thing to be," Steve told her and Elizabeth disagreed with him.

"It's what I want in my life," she drawled. "Steve, I...you're a nice guy...really nice...I mean, you're Captain America...I'm still struggling to come to terms with things and I think we need a bit of space between each other."

"Why?"

"Because I just found out that you've been melted from ice and are Captain America. And I was almost killed because of it."

"So you are angry with me," Steve finalised.

"I'm not angry with Steve Rogers," she promised him. "I'm not angry with the gentleman who I met...I'm angry with your alter ego."

"I am him," Steve told her, not truly understanding what she was saying. She used the back of her hand to remove the tears forming there. "It is me, Lizzie. I'm sorry for what Loki did-"

"- I know," she interrupted, not believing that she could handle any more of his apologies without breaking down in front of him. "But...I'm scared...Steve...I'm scared what could happen if I were to stay with you...I'm just a waitress...I'm nothing special. I just want to live...and being with you...well, you're a constant risk, Steve. You're Captain America. You're part of the Avengers. You're going to have enemies who could put me at risk and I don't know if I can handle it."

Steve looked at her as she began to cry gently and he continued to think about her words, decoding them in his ears into simple terms which he could understand. Elizabeth mentally scolded herself for crying in front of him. She knew she was weak. If she truly wanted him then she would put up with the baggage which came with him. She would put up with his superhero status. She just didn't think that she could do that. She didn't want the risks. If that made her a fool for losing him then call her a fool.

"You don't want to see me anymore?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Jesus, Steve...I know that I'm falling for you...I know that I'm beginning to want to be more than friends."

"Really?" he checked. She felt the same.

"But if falling for you means putting my life at risk then I need to stop," she told him, her hand resting on top of her chest. "I don't want this."

"What if I were to stop?" he asked and she shook her head at him.

"The USA needs Captain America," she spoke quickly. "Everything that you've done can't go to waste. I've read about you...okay? I did read about you and I know what you're like. You did anything to protect America. Can you honestly tell me that you'd just sit back and watch it under attack? It's not in your blood, Steve. You can't do that and I can't ask you to give it up for me."

"What if I were to be selfish?" Steve checked and a sad smile graced her features, her head moving back and forth.

"You don't know how to be selfish."

Steve agreed with her on that one. He had no idea what being selfish would feel like.

"I can't ask you to stay with me," he whispered. "A part of me knows that it is right that we don't carry on just in case you do get hurt. I don't think I could handle knowing that. When I found out that Loki had taken you; that was enough to drive me mad. I wouldn't be able to go through it again. I want the best for you."

"I want the best for you, too," she assured him.

"Why is it that all I can think of as being the best for me is you, then?" Steve worried and she shook her head.

"There are other better things," she promised.

"I doubt it," Steve scoffed.

"You'd better go, Steve," Elizabeth finally declared to him and he nodded. He knew that he had to go. He knew that he had things to do. Pepper was still missing and Jane Foster was on the Protection Scheme. Loki wouldn't go after Elizabeth again. Steve would look for some security to follow her from S.H.I.E.L.D.

"This isn't goodbye, is it?" Steve worried and Lizzie shook her head.

"Maybe just a...well...I don't think it is," she declared and Steve nodded before he felt Elizabeth wrap her arms around his waist and he held her back, his eyes closing and his nose inhaling the scent of her wet, matted hair as she felt the smooth material of his suit against her skin.

Neither of them said anything to each other as Steve pulled away and Lizzie pecked him on the cheek, hoping to herself that Steve would stay safe.

...

A/N: So, it makes slight sense to me. Steve and Lizzie splitting up for safety reasons. Fear not, definitely not the end of the story! I know it was a depressing chapter but it will get better! Anyway, thank you to all of my reviewers and do let me know what you think!


	17. Chapter 17

"You've been cleaning up tables with that frown on your face all afternoon," Brenda informed Elizabeth at nine o'clock that night. She'd taken to staying in the back room, washing up the cutlery and then walking out with the small food orders of baguettes and Panini's. She'd remained silent, going about her work in absolute concentration, too scared to think of anything else other than what coffee a customer had ordered.

"I've been busy," Elizabeth simply retorted to Brenda, not wanting to talk about what she had done the previous night. But, Brenda knew. She had questioned Lizzie about how she ended up on the top of the Brooklyn Bridge with some odd looking man. She'd shrugged off her questions and tied her hair back, saying that it had been some random hostage negotiation thing between him and the Avengers and she was an innocent civilian caught up in the middle of it. Brenda didn't believe her. She knew that she didn't look too shaken up and that made no sense to her. She'd also wondered about Captain America.

But, Elizabeth refused to comment on anything, saying that she'd rather just put it behind her and carry on even if carrying on meant that she wouldn't see Steve again.

"This has been the quietest day of the week, sweetie," Brenda told her, leaning her back against the worktop whilst Elizabeth held the towel in her hand and continued her drying of the white cheap plates. She placed one away, Brenda's eyes still looking at her as she daren't look back over to the elder woman, knowing that she would crack eventually. Steve's secret was one which she would never tell anyone, but keeping it quiet was hard and driving her insane.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?" Brenda asked; her voice slightly more forceful before Elizabeth sighed, shrugging her shoulders and deciding to lie to her. She'd figure it out eventually when Steve didn't show up to the coffee shop.

"Steve and I had a disagreement," Elizabeth finally declared to her.

"Honey," Brenda said; her voice low and disapproving and Elizabeth shook her head at Brenda. "What happened?"

"Nothing, really," Elizabeth continued to lie to her. "It just wasn't working out between us."

"How is that possible?" she wondered. "Steve seemed perfect."

"We're not all perfect," Elizabeth contradicted to her.

"True," Brenda agreed. "Babe, seriously, what is going on in your life at the moment? First you tell me you're held hostage and then you tell me that you're fine about it. And now I find out that you and Steve have broken up."

"We weren't technically together," Elizabeth reminded her. "We were just friends."

"The pair of you must realise that is complete bull by now," Brenda scoffed. "You two were inseparable and acting like a couple even if you never sealed the deal."

"We never did anything," Elizabeth responded, her voice low and a mutter so that Brenda couldn't hear her coherently. "Anyway," she said more loudly, "it doesn't matter now. There was nothing going on between us and now there won't be."

"I just-"

"-Brenda," Lizzie interrupted, the towel dropping from her hand and onto the worktop as her eyes looked at the elder woman's wiser ones. "Please, just leave it."

"If you really want me to," Brenda said, her hands held up in surrender and Elizabeth nodded, moving past her and placing the bowls back into the cupboard above the sink where they went. She realised that nothing really had a place in the diner; it was their jobs to find out where things went.

"You know I worry about you, honey," Brenda concluded as Elizabeth sighed, realising that she shouldn't be so hard on the woman who had done nothing but lend her an ear to talk to and a mouth full of words of wisdom and advice.

"I know, Brenda," Lizzie forced herself to smile. "Honestly, I'm going to be okay. Yesterday was odd and surreal and I don't know what happened. I'll get over it."

"I was thinking more about you getting over Steve," she replied, her lips pushed firmly together as she did so.

"I will manage that too," Lizzie said, turning her back on the woman and closing her eyes before nodding sternly to herself. She couldn't mope over him now. It would do no one any good.

...

"I've had one of my agents following Miss Meyer around all day. There has been no disruption to her normal schedule at all." Fury informed Steve as they stood in Banner's lab, the pair of them on their own as the rest of the Avenger's continued scouring for Loki's hiding place in a feeble attempt to find Pepper. Fury had called for Steve to hang back for ten minutes, informing him that he needed a quick word.

"I don't truly understand," Steve declared, his hands dropping to his hips as he caught a glance at his reflection in one of the computer screens, his eyes quickly looking away as soon as he saw the suit and him inside of it. "Loki just let her go. He just let her live. Surely he had another plan. He was trying to break us up through hurting the ones who we care about and he let Elizabeth carry on with her normal life."

"No one knows anything which runs through that man's head," Fury spoke, his eye never leaving Steve as the Captain continued to think about the events of the previous day. "If he is aware of you and Miss Meyer no longer being an item then he may leave her alone."

"Maybe," Steve said, not sharing his boss' optimism on the matter of the God from Asgard. "You will keep an agent on her until we find him though, won't you?" Steve checked and Fury nodded stiffly.

"If that is what you want then fine."

"When have you ever cared what I want?" Steve enquired from him. Fury was a stubborn man at the best of times. He always got his own way regardless of what other people thought about him.

"I know how hard this is for you," Fury said, the lowness in his voice coming through and Steve looked away, knowing that it was hard for him but he had to grin and bear it. There really was nothing more that he could do. "You gave up the only person who you have cared for in this modern world of ours. I may be many things, but blind, I am not."

Steve coughed once, his hand covering his mouth before he looked at his shield which sat in the corner of the room and he bowed his head.

"Thank you," Steve said, the sincerity oozing through his body as he thought about Lizzie and wondered what she would be doing.

"You'd best go," Fury motioned to the Captain's shield before he began to sweep from the room. "The Avengers need their Captain America."

...

Elizabeth flopped onto the sofa after returning home from work on that night, slipping into her pyjamas and placing her slippers onto her feet before she settled herself onto the sofa and curled into a ball, the darkness of the flat engulfing her before she switched the TV on, the mindless chatter being something to take her mind off of Steve. She supposed that was the problem with Roger's. He was too hard to forget.

Lizzie felt her eyes widen at the latest report being shown on the TV of Iron Man sweeping through the sky as Loki stood on top of Stark Tower's, his eyes gleaming with delight like they had done on the bridge that day. Pepper was by his side, her face one of anger and annoyance with what was happening. Elizabeth sat on the edge of the sofa, too intrigued by the events which were happening as she saw Captain America appear from nowhere, his shield flinging to hit Loki on the back. But, it did nothing to affect the God. He allowed Pepper to fall from his grasp, the camera staying locked on her as she fell down the hundreds of feet, plummeting from the sky.

"No!" Lizzie shrieked out loud, her hands covering her mouth as she began to fear what could happen to Stark's CEO/girlfriend. But, she knew that she didn't need to worry as Stark flew into the scene and caught her in his arms, quickly swooping upwards again until he reached the roof of the building, setting her down as she fell into his hold.

The news presenters seemed to scream out in juvenile delight at the scene whilst Elizabeth's mouth continued to hang open.

"Steve!" she snapped back at the TV. "Go back onto Steve!"

But, they didn't seem to listen to her. Lizzie shook her head, standing up and realising that she couldn't give him up, no matter how hard she tried.

...

"So what was the plan?" Steve snapped as soon as his eyes landed on Loki, the two of them sparring in the middle of Stark's apartment. Loki refused to move as Steve held his shield in his hands, the two men circling each other with intent. "You kill everyone we care about and then what?"

"Ah," Loki drawled slowly, "you're forgetting one thing. Whilst you've been running around looking for those who you care for, I have been able to focus on more important things whilst keeping you distracted."

Steve looked at him for a moment, his eyes widening as he thought about what the God had told him. The look of glee on Loki's face was one which Steve couldn't wait to wipe straight off of it. He despised the man for all his worth.

"You tricked us."

"I am the God of Mischief," Loki chuckled. "Tell me, where is everyone else? My brother seems to have left you to fend for yourself."

"They're all around," Steve spoke back. "I can assure you that you won't be getting out of this mess anytime soon."

"And I can assure you that I will be," Loki said. "You don't really think that you have a chance, do you? My distraction worked. Time for chaos is upon us and you haven't been able to stop me because you've been so preoccupied. You've all been blinkered."

"We will stop you," Steve assured him.

"Believe me when I say that you won't, Captain," Loki promised, standing still, the sceptre held tightly in his hand and the helmet firmly on his head. "The moment I am captured then I have one of my men go and find your precious Miss Meyer. They're under strict orders. I doubt you will have forgotten what my powers are with this thing," Loki spoke, wriggling the sceptre in his hand as Steve's brows furrowed together and he remembered how Barton had been overcome by the powers of the sceptre. Loki could control anyone he wanted and he had done just that.

"She's under protection."

"Aren't they all," Loki mumbled. "Do you honestly think one of their agents would stop my men? Honestly?"

No. Steve knew that they probably wouldn't and that was the part which was bothering him. In that instance he wished that he had back up. He wished Bruce hadn't stayed back, surveying the area and being the brains behind the plan. He wished Thor had come back with them instead of going to check up on Jane. He wished Barton and Natasha weren't on the roof opposite with snipers trained on the building. And he wished Stark would get his ass back into his apartment.

"Elizabeth is no longer your concern," Steve said finally, his teeth gritted together as he did so.

"I'm aware you're no longer in contact with that human. But my hurting her would still hurt you and I will do it if I am captured."

"I have no choice but to capture you," Steve said and Loki's lips formed into a wry grin.

"You can try," he assured the soldier. "I doubt you will succeed. Once you tell the rest of them then you will all be too scared trying to look after your precious mortals that you'll no longer be a team. The heroes will be scattered."

Steve shook his head, the fury building up inside of him at hearing Loki's words.

"You're wrong. We'll always be the Avengers."

...

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the officer spoke again as Elizabeth huffed and stepped back, merging into the crowds with the other people whose eyes were focused on Stark Towers, waiting for something to happen as the area remained cordoned off and Elizabeth panicked, wondering what to do and how to get to Steve. She knew that she had to. She couldn't just walk away from him. Sitting in front of the TV and catching a glimpse of his star spangled suit was enough to make her chest lurch.

She remained patient, her pulse racing until she finally saw him emerge from the Towers, not prepared for the press which was coming his way. Lizzie sighed in relief when she saw him, his lips in a tight line and his mind elsewhere, thinking about what had happened inside of the apartment between him and Loki. It was safe to say he was simply concentrating on avoiding the masses of media.

...

Steve changed back at base into his checker shirt and brown pants, hanging his costume up before riding his Harley Davidson all the way back to his apartment block. Loki's words continued to ring through his ears and the image of the man disappearing did nothing to help put his mind at ease. Steve was worried. That much was obvious. He'd told Fury what Loki had told him and the Director had ordered for an evening of tracking, telling Steve there was nothing he could do but rest up.

He grabbed his keys from the pocket of his leather jacket and climbed up the steps, looking down the corridor where he had first met Elizabeth and sighing as he did so. And then he reached his floor, looking down to his door where the slim figure rested against it, her ankles crossed and her hands in the pockets of her black coat which was securely wrapped around her body.

Steve froze on the spot at seeing her, unsure of what to do as he took in her pale features and tied back blonde hair along with the flats on her feet and leggings.

"I had to come," she said simply to him. "I saw you on the news and I came to Stark Towers. You just wanted to get out by the looks of it."

"He got away," Steve shrugged. "His vanishing tricks serve him well."

"I don't care about him," Elizabeth shook her head. "I came to see you."

"Why?" Steve wondered. "I thought that you didn't want anything to do with me?"

"I thought that too," Lizzie nodded as he walked closer to her. "That was until I saw you on TV fighting him and I realised that you're not indestructible. You're like all of us, just that you have some super serum in your body...and I thought...I thought about losing you to him...if I never saw you...and I worried..."

Steve remained silent, not sure what to do when he saw the emotional state which she had delivered herself into. He didn't deal well with women and emotions, he knew that much.

"What were you thinking?" Lizzie suddenly snapped at him, her brow arched. "You went to fight Loki by yourself. Do you have a death wish, Steve Rogers?"

"Not particularly," he mumbled to her and she nodded quickly.

"Good," she declared. "Because there are some people here who care about you, okay?"

"Okay," Steve simply agreed and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, chuckling darkly to herself as she did so.

"God, ever since I met you I've become an emotional wreck," she complained. "It really is no good for my looks."

"You look beautiful to me," Steve promised her and she rolled her eyes as he smiled softly, his cheeks reddening when he realised he had just complimented her. He never did that. "I'm not going to force you away, Elizabeth. I'm going to tell you that it is safer to be away from me. But you know that."

"I do."

"So if you do stay then I promise that I will look after you. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you."

"Just don't hurt yourself in the process," Lizzie whispered, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck as he cautiously held her waist, a content sigh escaping his lips as he did so.

...

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! Glad you're all liking it! Loki is so sly! But, Steve and Lizzie are back! Only seemed logical to me!

Please do let me know what you think!


	18. Chapter 18

Steve tucked a loose strand of hair behind Elizabeth's ear as she sat down in his lap, her hand entwining into his as his free arm wrapped securely around her waist and she rested her head against his chest, the soft rise and fall of his skin soothing her in a time of worry. The smell of his expensive cologne mixed with leather was one which Lizzie was sure she would never come to find annoying or become bored of. It defined Steve and made him who he was on that day.

The pair of them seemed quite content just to sit in the dimly lit apartment, quiet in each other's company as Elizabeth realised just how tough it must have been for Steve in the modern world. She only wished that he had told her.

"When did they wake you up from the ice?" she finally asked, her a voice a whisper, the fear that speaking any louder may disrupt the stillness of the apartment. Steve looked down at her, the top of her blonde hair visible in his blue eyes as she closed her orbs, simply relaxing against his body.

"A few days before I met you," he replied and she winced at hearing him.

"I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been," she informed him and he chuckled softly, the sound shaking his body and Elizabeth's against him before he scoffed and shook his head gently.

"It wasn't hard," he told her. "It was just different. Everything had changed. People were still the same but they'd begun walking around with phones pressed to their ears and manners seemed to have died out. I didn't feel like it was hard. I knew that I could adjust to this modern technology. It was the thought of having no one to teach me. That was the hard part. I was alone."

"Did your agency not intend to help?"

"They gave me this apartment and everything which I could need to live a normal life. I just didn't know how to be normal. And then...I met you that night...this is going to sound pathetic, and I really am sorry, but, I saw...well...I thought that maybe you were alone, too."

Elizabeth took a moment to think about what he had just said before she nodded in agreement, lifting her head up to look at Steve firmly. His pale features seemed even less mysterious than before and his eyes were completely honest blue, holding nothing back. She supposed he had a point. She'd even admitted to him that she felt lost. She just didn't think that he felt the same way.

"And the work which you do for S.H.I.E.L.D is...well...you really are a superhero, aren't you?" she checked and he smiled softly, a small nod eliciting from him as he continued to look on at Lizzie, brushing his fingers into hers and resting their hands onto her leg.

"I was the first ever superhero. I never thought about it like that," he told her. "I was just doing a job for my country and that was all. Nothing more and nothing less. But, times have changed and things are difficult now, especially with Loki being back on Earth."

"What is it that he wants?"

"We're not sure yet," Steve mumbled. "He said that the kidnapping of you and Pepper was a distraction so that he could continue with his main mission. We don't know what that is yet, but we're looking into it at the moment. Like I said before, I'll keep you safe."

"And who is going to keep you safe?" Elizabeth asked him, her brow arched with wonder and Steve resisted the urge to scoff at her words. No one had ever kept him safe. It had always been his job to be the leader and that was what he always found himself doing. He didn't need a protector.

"I'm serious, Steve," Lizzie assured him. "Who is going to keep you safe?"

"I'll be fine," Steve promised her and she shook her head, her free hand pushing through his blonde hair, the smoothness of it feeling odd on her fingertips as she looked him in the eye.

"How do you know that, Steve?" she asked him. "I didn't realise how dangerous it was until this evening...until I actually saw you fighting Loki and I worried for you. I worried about what he was going to do to you...and I don't know...I know that you can't give it up. I know that you wouldn't give it up."

"You told me that I shouldn't," Steve said and Lizzie rolled her eyes but nodded. She had told him that. She couldn't retract her statement from before. "I can't just stop being Captain America, Lizzie. I need to protect the public."

"I know that I'm being selfish," Elizabeth said, her eyes bowed down and looking onto their hands. "I just don't want you to risk your life. If you...I don't know if I could handle it, Steve...I never thought that I liked you as much as this...but I really do."

"I can understand how worrying it must be," Steve promised her. "Our relationship has been solely built on worry for the past few days."

"That's not a good thing."

"I know," Steve promised. "We've stopped Loki before, we can do it again. I promise you that, Lizzie."

"You can't always defy death, Steve," Lizzie whispered to him, the subject turning extremely morbid in their time of comfort to each other. Steve gulped once, knowing that she was right but refusing to believe it. He knew he couldn't avoid death. The day the plane had gone down was an indicator of that. He thought that he had died and he had seen many people die around him. He supposed luck played a part.

"Just know that I'll be here," Elizabeth promised him. "I don't think I could be anywhere else at this moment in time. I know that I can't help you with anything...but...I'll be here."

"That's all I can ask," Steve said softly. "And maybe then I can take you on a proper date."

"You took me for a midnight picnic in Central Park," she reminded him and he shook his head.

"This time we can go as a couple dating," he replied and Lizzie smiled at the little fantasy which they were building together. She couldn't help but admit that it did sound heavenly. A life with Steve was something which she could totally fathom. She'd never been able to with her other boyfriends and she didn't know why.

"We could go to the movies...and go dancing...that was big before, wasn't it?"

"No dancing," Steve said; his voice strict as memories of her came back to him and clouded his vision. She looked at his sudden stern face, wondering what had gotten into him as he coughed, removing his hand from hers as she slid herself from his lap and he quickly stood up, and his hands tugged through his hair as Lizzie sat on the edge of his sofa.

"I'm a terrible dancer too, if that helps?" she wondered and Steve looked out of the window, knowing that she was out there somewhere. He'd missed their date to go dancing. He'd missed it and he didn't know how to feel about her anymore. He knew that she was always going to be in his mind, the image of her sitting alone and waiting for him filled him with horror and distraught.

"I..." Steve croaked out, realising that his throat had suddenly decided to become very dry as Elizabeth stood up, cautiously pulling at the striped jumper she wore, tugging her leggings up as Steve refused to face her.

"What is it?" she wondered and he raised his arm, his fist resting on the wall beside the glass pane and his head bowed downwards as he wondered if he should tell her or not.

"You...you know how I plummeted the plane..."

"It's in the text books," Lizzie nodded, keeping back from him, sensing that he needed his own time and space to tell her this vital piece of information.

"Well...there was this woman before I went...she was called...Peggy...Peggy Carter...she helped me through everything...respected me even when I was just skinny little Steve Rogers in Brooklyn..."

Elizabeth folded her arms across her waist and continued to watch his blonde hair as his free hand ran through it feverously and she heard the noise of him licking his lips.

"She was an Agent with the division. One of the best...and we...well...I...I fell for her...hard..."

Lizzie's hand automatically raised itself to move other her mouth as she thought about what that meant for Steve. He'd never got to be with the woman he had wanted, she knew that much.

"I promised her that we would go dancing...eight o'clock at the Stork Club...she told me not to be late." That memory seemed to draw a laugh from Steve, but the sound was forced and one of despair as he shook his head and looked onto the quiet street from his apartment window. "I never got to make it."

Elizabeth cleared her throat, her eyes tearing up at seeing him so emotionally before she dared to speak, her voice low and calm.

"What happened to her?"

"She retired. She's out there somewhere. I don't know where and I don't know what she is doing," Steve admitted to Lizzie. "I just hope that she lived her life and was happy. That's all that I can ask."

"Was she your first love?" Elizabeth asked and he nodded at her before turning around.

"You don't believe that there is only one true love for one person, do you?" Steve worried and Elizabeth shook her head at him. She didn't believe in that. She didn't really believe in true love. She believed in finding a companion to share everything with. She wasn't really sure what love meant.

Yet Steve seemed so certain that he had found it and lost it. He supposed he had faith.

"I don't believe in fate and meeting your soul mate," she assured him. "I believe in coincidences and that's it. Life is what you make it."

Steve nodded, choosing to believe that Peggy lived a happy life after him and found someone to take care of her.

"I don't know what it is like to lose someone who you love, Steve," Elizabeth told him. "I can't honestly say that I've really been in love before. But...Peggy...she...I understand. I can understand why this is so hard for you...to wake up and realise that the rest of the world and her have moved on without you. I really do understand why it is so hard."

Steve remained silent, his eyes looking at Elizabeth as she moved across to him and gently held onto his hand.

"This is both new to us really," Elizabeth mumbled. "If you need time to come to terms with everything then that's fine. I promise...if you want to talk...I'm here, okay?"

"Okay."

"And if Peggy cared for you as deeply as you did for her then she would have wanted for you to move on. I can promise you that much."


	19. Chapter 19

Elizabeth moved around the kitchen at half past eleven at night, searching the contents of Steve's cupboards for something to cook as he stood in the doorway and watched her finally find some vegetables to go into a stir fry. Elizabeth remained completely focused on that task at hand, thinking about Steve back in the World War Two. He'd be in love before. She couldn't even imagine how hard it must have been for him to tell her that story. She'd seen his shoulders tense up and his jaw completely stuck out, unable to relax as he thought about Peggy. Lizzie knew that Steve must have truly loved her. She'd never heard anything quite like it.

"I'll be gone early tomorrow morning," Steve said, his voice low as Elizabeth nodded, continuing her chopping of the pepper before she looked across to him, tossing her head so that her hair moved out of the way.

"You don't know what's going to happen, do you?" she checked and he shook his head at her, moving further into the kitchen and standing by her side, his arm brushing against hers as she sniffed, trying not to think about would could happen to him. The fear building through her body was constant. Her worry for Steve was growing with each passing second.

"No," he confirmed. "As I said before, if we beat him that time then we can beat him again."

"But you don't know what he has planned," Lizzie replied and Steve shrugged softly, picking up a small slice of pepper and popping it into his mouth before Liz nudged him in his ribs, knowing that it wouldn't affect him.

"Stop eating our dinner," she hissed softly at him and he chuckled at her before moving off to the fridge and grabbing the milk carton out along with a glass which sat on top of his fridge.

"How hard was it not to tell me that you saved my life that day?" Elizabeth suddenly wondered. It seemed millions of questions were whirling around in her head and she didn't know which one to start with. Steve drained his milk off in a few quick gulps and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Very," Steve simply said back to her. "I was keeping an eye on you as soon as I saw you run past and into the coffee shop. I know that I should have been protecting other people but...well...you went into that shop and angered that _thing. _I couldn't stand back and watch."

Elizabeth nodded and Steve moved back into his fridge and grabbed a can of diet cola out from it.

"Thank you, then," Lizzie said to him and he grinned wryly at her as she shook her head, still struggling to come to terms with everything which she was hearing.

"It was my pleasure, ma'am," Steve told her, the smile still gracing his lips as he opened the can for her and handed it to her, his fingers brushing against hers as he did so. "I suppose now that you know then you can explain how to use the microwave to me."

"I wondered why it was so clean and never used. Clearly you've never had a ready meal," Lizzie said to him, moving on to chopping the onion. Steve chuckled and shook his head.

"I couldn't work it out. It kept on pinging and lighting up." He told her and she laughed heartedly, her hair falling behind her shoulders.

"I'll show you," she promised him before remembering something and looking back up at Steve. "Oh my God! That's why you've never heard of Jay Z!"

"Yes!" Steve said, quickly pointing at her and nodding his head profusely, the beam escaping from his lips. "I have! I used Google!"

"You can use Google?"

"I worked it out," he shrugged, feeling slightly impressed with himself as Elizabeth began to cry from the smell of the onion, wanting to do nothing more than wipe her eyes.

"I'll take you to a concert one day," she promised him. "I don't know what you'll think but it will be different."

"I'd like that," Steve promised her before Lizzie dropped the knife and moved to place the cut up vegetables into the wok, beginning to fry them before she added the noodles and bean sprouts.

"I take it that you'll be staying here for the night," Steve assumed and Elizabeth nodded.

"I'd like to," she told him, her voice quite meek in comparison to her usual bolshie attitude. She didn't know what it was about being around Steve. It was like she constantly felt serene and peaceful. It was something which she knew she would never be able to explain.

"You can have my bed," Steve said and she shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip as she thought about what she was going to ask him.

"After tonight...you're going out there...and I don't know...we don't know what will happen," she informed Steve and he looked at her with caution, his face unreadable as he wondered what she was getting at. "I don't want to spend tonight sleeping on your sofa without you."

"Elizabeth," Steve said, his voice going back to its normal and stiff tone. "I'm quite old fashioned and I really do not believe in se-"

"-No!" Lizzie snapped at him quickly, a scarlet red rising into her cheeks. "I don't mean that! I just want to be with you...Steve...I respect what you want...even if it is utterly ludicrous to me."

Steve chuckled at hearing her as she shook her head at him and he nodded in agreement with her terms and conditions. He could handle sleeping beside her.

"I'm just not up to date with the modern times," Steve replied to her and she rolled her eyes, taking a swig of her cola as she grabbed a wooden spoon from the draw and began to stir the food. "I want to be sure before I take the leap."

"That's fine," Elizabeth promised him. "You're just going to drive many women mad with that theory."

"Many women?" Steve wondered aloud, his brow arched in vague amusement.

"Have you not seen the way the entire female population look at you?" she asked from him and he shook his head. He couldn't really say that he had noticed before. He supposed he hadn't really been looking or noticing before.

"I'm not really bothered about the entire population. There's only one woman I care for," Steve promised her and she scoffed at hearing him. How cheesy did he sound? But, she didn't roll her eyes or make some sarcastic comment. She didn't say anything derogatory towards what he had said, instead she felt slightly warm at hearing him, the thing in her chest fluttering and her stomach flipping.

"Well, you need to make sure that you stay safe," Lizzie demanded from his again. "How does Pepper cope with Tony doing what he does?"

"I don't know," Steve admitted. "I don't know how she does it. She's a strong woman and she truly loves Tony for reasons which I cannot even begin to understand. You just don't need to worry about me."

"That's easy for you to say," Elizabeth reminded him and he nodded.

"I know."

...

Steve awoke the next morning with Elizabeth nestled by his side, her body covered in one of his long shirts and her face pressed against his chest, her arm around his waist as his own arm moved over her waist. He had to resist the urge to sigh as he thought about getting up. He knew that he had to go. Fury would be waiting for all of them.

He didn't know whether or not he should wake Lizzie or not. He supposed it would be the polite thing to do. But, he decided to change first and make breakfast in bed for her. He knew that it was a poor attempt; nothing in the kitchen was really his forte if he had to be honest. The cereal was soggy and he knew the toast was slightly burnt.

"I wondered where you'd gone," Lizzie yawned as she pushed herself upwards, resting against the wall against the bed and pulling the covers up to cover her lap as she smiled softly at seeing Steve. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and rested the tray onto her lap before grabbing some toast for his own.

"I couldn't go without saying goodbye," he told her and she nodded, a smile escaping her lips.

"Many men have done that before in different circumstances to me," she informed him and Steve winced at hearing her. No, he didn't need to think about that anymore.

"Well, I know it isn't much, but, it is all that I could muster up," he told her and she nodded, sipping on the orange juice. "I have to go in a moment. What are you going to do today?"

"I need to go home and change before going to work. I might miss my shift in the accountants but go to the coffee shop. It depends on time and how I feel," she shrugged nonchalantly. "When will I see you again?"

"I...I don't know," Steve admitted and she nodded sternly more for herself than him. "As soon as I'm back then I will come and find you."

"Do," she urged him, her hand moving up and stroking his cheek softly as she moved her forehead to rest against his, her eyes closing as his blue ones remained fixed on her. Did he do it? He should really. He didn't know when he was going to see her next and he'd thought about it for long enough. He had just never been forward enough to do it.

But, today was different. Today he knew how she felt about him and he knew he may not see her again for a while. Or forever. And so, he slowly tilted his head, his lips inches from hers as he felt her hand move onto the back of his neck, the feeling tingling against his skin before he pressed his lips against hers and his own hand found her hair.

Elizabeth was shocked how soft and gentle he was, his mouth slowly moving against hers as his eyes finally closed and he lightly bit down on her bottom lip and she got the message, her mouth opening and allowing him access as she felt the tray fall off from her lap, knowing that the cereal and orange juice would have gone onto his sheet. But, Steve didn't seem to care. He replaced the previous position of the tray, his bent elbow at the side of her and taking some of his weight off of her as she continued to run her hands through his hair and his arm moved around her waist, pressing her body tightly against his.

Steve slowly pulled back for a moment, knowing that it would go too far if he didn't stop. Elizabeth wouldn't object and he knew that. But, he did object. He didn't want to just yet.

"At least one of us has self control," she mumbled to him and he grinned at her, pecking her on the forehead before moving from the bed.

...

"Been sneaking around with lover boy, have we?"

Elizabeth gulped as she looked up and saw who was moving up the steps as she left Steve's apartment. He'd gone earlier, not prolonging his goodbye and deciding that it would be best to go and leave before they both broke down.

"Not really your concern, is it, Geoff?" Lizzie snapped back at him, moving back down the steps until she felt him grab onto her wrist, drawing her back against him and slamming her against the wall, his hand moving to hold her chin, his eyes glaring into hers.

"Was it going on whilst we were together?" he snapped and she rolled her eyes, trying to pull his hand off of her.

"Like you?" she wondered. "Don't you dare accuse me of having an affair. There's only one cheating bastard I see in here."

Lizzie felt the heat from his hand move up to her shoulders, pulling her from the wall before he quickly pushed her back, her head flinging backwards and hitting the cold painted wall as she yelped in pain at the feeling.

"Get the hell off of me!" she snapped at him, her head beginning to ache at the sudden contact and Geoff chuckled at hearing her, his hand gripping her sides tightly, the sound of her gasping breaths coming out at the contact which he was making and she groaned in pain as his lips moved closer to her ear.

"You're not getting out of this one, Liz," he promised her. "I can assure you of that. Your little lover isn't here to save you now."

"Maybe not," Lizzie said as she felt his hand wander into the elastic of her leggings, his other hand moving mercilessly over her chest. "But he did teach me something."

"And what's that?" Geoff wondered from her, his lips against her neck.

"How to get rid of scum like you," she said and quickly raised her knee, hitting him in the groin with her kneecap and then balling her hand into a fist, allowing her thumb to move outside of her fist and she hit him quickly against the jaw. He fell down to the floor, both of his hands holding onto his pain as Lizzie scurried off, ignoring the comments he was yelling at her.

She shook her head, feeling sick at what had happened, but she didn't get chance to worry about Geoff for too long as she noted the sky had blackened and the noise of explosions engulfed the city, people began screaming loudly and Lizzie knew that it had once again begun.

...

A/N: on a roll with the updates at the moment! Not sure why yet, but thanks to ZOMG its Angie, YuKiOnA-Ga, Tante, Ryn of Magic, H. E. Vaughn, mericat, Guest, stinkysox and Liberty Belle 23 for reviewing the past few chapters!

Do let me know what you all think!


	20. Chapter 20

The blackening of the sky was different in comparison to the time before. No bright light beckoned from Stark Towers and there was no sight of the Chitauri anywhere. Lizzie stood among the crowds of other people, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight above her as some mumbled to each other and some remained silent. But, Lizzie didn't dwell on the sight for too long. She felt the ground rumble beneath her feet and instantly everyone began to panic, jumping up and down from one foot to the other in sheer horror at what was happening.

Lizzie began to rush off down the street, pushing and shoving her way past the hysterical crowds as she wondered where she needed to go. Instantly, panic rose through her body as a loud rumble which sounded like thunder came from the heavens above. She shook her head, telling herself that she needed to carry on going. Staying around and sitting there would do no one any good.

Yells of worry moved into Lizzie's ear as she looked from the sky and saw the line of fire move downwards, piercing the apartment block at the end of the road. Her eyes widened and she finally stopped running, seeing what was happening to the apartment. The fire rose instantly, rushing into the air and heating up the entire street. People began to yell out loud, wondering what the hell had happened before they shook their heads. Some began to sob and some began to swear profusely. Lizzie simply remained silent as a loud clap from the sky was heard and another lightning bolt of fire struck onto the city.

She instantly turned around, following the crowds of people in running down the road before she heard the fresh sounds of yells when the fire struck down onto the next apartment building. She continued running, wondering where Steve was and if he was okay and safe. She would find him. She had to find him and know. She didn't know what Loki had done and what he had planned, but she knew it wasn't good. She knew that much from the last time he had attacked the city.

The darkness of the sky wasn't helping people as it seemed to keep coming. Lizzie saw how people began to slow down until they fully stopped, the darkness becoming too much for them. Lizzie heard the pants of breaths coming out from around her as she held her hands out in front of her, wondering where she was and where she should go.

Everyone seemed to have some idea of what to do as they grabbed their phones from their pockets and pointed it in front of them, some illumination coming through. But there wasn't enough. Elizabeth could see that. She fumbled in the pocket of her coat and found the device, looking at its small screen which was barely noticeable.

She spun on her heel, noting the fire in the background, the only source of light in the now darkened street. She tried feebly to stop her pulse from racing too high and control her breathing. But it seemed impossible. She was in the middle of New York and couldn't see anything whilst the sky blew out fire. What was calming about that?

Slowly, she began to walk forwards, bumping into people who looked at her for a moment and then turned back to their own business. Even in a time of distress, Elizabeth would rather deal with the issue on her own than have someone else join her. She continued to walk slowly, her hands pushed out in front of her and holding her phone in them, her feeble attempt to see where she was going. And it was feeble.

...

"Night vision in this thing is the main reason why I upgraded it," Tony said, his voice smug as Steve heard him through the earphone which he had in his ear and he shook his head, remaining stood on top of the rooftop he had been on whilst he had been fighting off Loki until everything had gone dark and Steve hadn't been able to register what he should do.

Loki had unleashed something from the sky which could aim bolts of fire into the sky and he had no idea what to do. His leadership skills were being tested to the edge.

"What do we do?" Steve cried into his microphone, his hand holding onto his ear and pressing down to make sure he didn't lose contact with anyone else in the team. Natasha and Barton had been cut off and no one knew where they were. Loki's plan was slowly coming together and the team all knew it.

"You're the Captain!" Tony barked back at him, tracking his location along with Pepper's location. He'd told her to stay in the basement of Stark Tower's where it was safe for her. But, Pepper didn't tend to follow orders very well, but she seemed to be doing this time. "You should know what to do!"

"I can't see anything, Tony!" Steve yelled back at him and he wondered where the Hulk had gotten to and what Thor was doing. He hoped that he had followed his brother to where he had run off to. "I don't know where I am and I don't know where Loki has gone! There is fire coming from the sky and I have no idea where Elizabeth is!"

"So what?" Tony wondered, flying through the dark streets to where Steve was. "What do you think we should do?"

"We need to regroup," Steve said quickly. "We need a new plan of action. We can't work in the darkness."

"We don't know where anyone is," Tony snapped back, following the dot in front of his eyes which flashed to where Steve was. "We've lost contact with everyone."

"We can't just go into hiding, can we?" Steve replied. "We need to stop Loki and what he has unleashed on us."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Tony wondered. "This is nothing like what we have come up against before!"

"We can't just leave people out there whilst things burn down on and around them. Innocent people are dying!"

"And how do you suggest we help them? The power in my suit is running out and I can't see how we can help!" Tony snapped at him and Steve clenched his hands into fists, annoyance coursing through his body as he thought about what he needed to do.

"I'm going back to Pepper," Tony declared.

"You're giving in?" Steve checked and Tony rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to recharge and make sure she is safe. We can't stop this. We don't even know what it is."

"We need to find out."

"And I can do that whilst making sure Pepper is safe," Tony replied quickly. "You go and find Elizabeth."

"I don't know where she is!" Steve snapped back and Tony programmed Jarvis to hack into her phone, giving away her location and then comparing it to Steve's.

"I'll fly by where she is and deposit her with you. Will that shut you up?"

"No!" Steve retorted. "We need to keep on fighting."

"We can't," Tony said and muted out Steve's protests as he dropped by the avenue which Elizabeth was travelling on.

...

Lizzie continued her slow crawl as the fire eventually stopped falling from the sky. She stood still as she sound a familiar sound echo through her ears and she looked around, wondering where it was coming from as she felt something hard and cold pull at under her arms. She screamed loudly as her feet left the ground and the only thing supporting her was an arm looped under her waist, pressing her tightly against someone's torso.

"Terribly sorry to interrupt your little walk down there," Iron Man's voice spoke out and Lizzie was grateful that she couldn't see how high up they were. She didn't even want to know.

"Where are we going?" she wondered from Tony and he swooped around a corner.

"I'm taking you to the Cap," he told her.

"Why aren't you stopping this?" Lizzie wondered from him and Tony rolled his eyes at hearing her.

"We don't know what _this _is," he replied to her and she gulped loudly as she heard him and he began to climb again until he landed on the roof which Steve was supposedly on. Lizzie fell from his hold and almost tripped over her own feet as Tony looked around, making out the Captain by the edge of the building.

"Rogers!" he snapped out and Steve turned around, looking at where the voice had come from before he moved slowly across the roof. "That's it," Tony shepherded him. "Come closer."

Lizzie looked around, hoping that she would see him in a moment. But, she felt him first as her hand moved out and hit his arm. Steve jumped back at the contact, wondering what it was before he felt her scramble into his hold, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"Steve," she mumbled and he wrapped his arms around her waist whilst Tony looked on.

"Lizzie, you're okay," Steve said, the joyfulness coming through in his voice as he kissed the top of her head and Stark looked at them.

"We need to be going," he said. "The power for the entire city has been blown."

"So where do we go to?" Lizzie wondered.

"I have a hideout in my Stark Tower," Tony spoke to them. "S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about it and its back up power source. Maybe they will have common sense to find us there if they know we're not running around like headless chickens."

"Headless chickens?" Steve wondered and Tony snorted, shaking his head as Lizzie made a mental note to explain to him later.

"So how do we get to your Tower?" Lizzie was the one to wonder from Tony. "Do we need to form some form of Conga line?"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Tony said and Steve remained confused as to what a Conga line was. It didn't sound particularly pleasant.

"Now we're going to be serious," Lizzie said to Stark and he wondered how Steve put up with her bossy attitude considering he was so meek and shy.

"I could probably lead you if we go pretty fast," Tony said to them and he held his hand out, wrapping it around Lizzie's as Steve took hold of her waist and they began a slow crawl through the streets of NY.

...

"It was Loki," Steve said simply as he took a seat on the closed toilet seat in the small bathroom in Stark's basement. The entire place was like another flat just to himself. Lizzie shook her head as she rolled up the cloth which Pepper had managed to find and dabbed it into the sink she had filled with water as she wiped away the dried blood on his cheek. She knelt on the floor, her spine upright as she dabbed at the blood and Steve winced slightly at the contact.

"So the super soldier does feel pain," Lizzie said, slightly amused. She'd thought Captain America was invincible whilst in High School, but, he wasn't the Cap now. He was Steve Rogers.

"I just hide it very well," Steve mumbled to her and she rinsed the cloth, dabbing it in the sink once again.

"What do we do, Steve?" she asked him, looking into the water which had turned a slight red with his blood and Steve watched her with intent. He didn't have the answer to her questions because he had no idea what they were going to do. Stark had gone into his small workshop to make repairs to his suit whilst Pepper fussed around him.

"I don't know," Steve admitted; the thought of the people of New York running around like maniacs did nothing to boost his confidence. He knew that he should be out there and helping them. He just didn't know how. He felt like there was nothing he could do and Steve had never felt so useless before.

Lizzie remained mute, realising that if Steve didn't have the answer then she certainly didn't know what it was. She nodded and dabbed the cloth onto his cut again as his hand slowly wrapped around her wrist and he brought her hand down from his cheek, wrapping it into his own as the cloth fell onto his star spangled suit. Lizzie slowly dropped down into his lap and Steve juggled her on one of his thighs, his free arm wrapping around her waist as she laid a flat palm onto his chest where the star sat.

"We'll come up with something," Steve said and Lizzie nodded encouragingly more for her own self belief than to confirm Steve's statement.

She opened her mouth with the intent to say something but nothing would leave her mouth and so she remained quiet, smiling up at Steve and kissing him chastely before resting her head onto his shoulder. Steve knew what she was thinking. Her tense body language and muteness told him as much.

She was scared. And for the first time in a while, so was he.

...

A/N: So thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Barbie. .3, YukiOnA-Ga, Rarbie. .3, YukiOnA-Ga, Ryn of Magic, stinkysox, sibunagirl-0331, H. E. Vaughn and Lieutenant Winter for your review!


	21. Chapter 21

Elizabeth walked through the room of the basement after Steve had been called away by Stark due to the rest of the Avengers moving back into his base and talking through tactics of what was happening to New York. Thor had no idea what was going on and he couldn't find his brother anywhere. It seemed like everyone was stumped.

"I see you went back to Steve," Pepper's voice suddenly spoke up when she saw Elizabeth walk through into the small living area of the basement. It was like a haven for the latest gamer with the new consoles and a large TV sat on the wall. Tony was a typical male and Elizabeth knew it. Pepper folded her arms as she stood in the doorway and Lizzie turned to look at her, a small shrug elicited from her shoulders as she did so.

"It was too hard to stay away from him," she admitted. "As soon as I saw you and Tony on the top of the tower and then Steve was fighting Loki...something stirred inside of me...it was like I couldn't do anything to help him but I knew that I had to get to him somehow. It sounds ridiculous, I know."

"No," Pepper shook her head, walking further into the room and sitting down on the sofa, motioning for the younger woman to join her which she did promptly. She knew that she must have looked a complete mess. She had slept at Steve's the previous night and hadn't managed to change out of her ordinary clothes or have a shower, but, with New York in disarray, nothing seemed to matter too much at the moment in time. "It shows that you love him."

Elizabeth quickly shook her head, refusing to believe in the foolish notion which people called love. She'd never felt love before and she was pretty sure she didn't believe in it. She'd seen what love could do to people and she'd seen it be temperamental. She believed in finding someone to care for her and that she would care for them. She thought that she had found it in Steve.

"Love isn't real," Lizzie said to her and Pepper arched a brow, knowing that the young woman was cynical from what Tony had been telling her. "Does anyone truly know what love is?"

"You know it when you feel it," Pepper declared. "I know that I love Tony."

Lizzie bit down on her tongue at hearing Pepper speak like that and she looked across to the side, a small nod eliciting from her. She wondered how anyone could even find it remotely possible to love Stark. It was a strange matter if they were to ask her.

"I don't know," Lizzie mumbled, not really wanting to pick up on the conversation of stomach flip flopping and heart racing. "I just don't think it is real, that is all."

"So you don't love Steve?" Pepper wondered and Lizzie shrugged, focusing her eyes on the large TV hanging on the wall as she wondered where Steve was and if he had any intention of walking in soon to save her from the CEO's questioning.

"Steve and I are early days into our relationship," Lizzie settled. "Do you know where he is, anyway?"

Pepper sighed, a hand pushing through her hair and she shook her head, her eyes unknowingly looking to the door and wondering what Tony was doing. She knew that Lizzie was thinking the same thing about her soldier. She was worrying about what the meeting was about and what the heroes would do to save the day. Her nervous shaking leg and tapping fingers on her thigh told Pepper as much.

"I've got no idea," Pepper admitted. "Tony just said that he would have to go because they are holding a meeting in the lab room. The rest of the Avengers managed to find their way back here apart from Clint and Natasha. No one knows where they've gone."

"And does anyone know what the darkness is all about?" Lizzie enquired, knowing that Pepper probably didn't have a clue but she guessed it was worth a shot at asking her for some information. Anything to go on would be considerate enough she supposed.

"They don't have a clue," Pepper whispered, lacing her fingers together and resting them onto her knees, her eyes looking downwards as she did so. "Thor is trying to locate Loki but it is like he has vanished off of the face of the Earth. He says that this is something big and something from a different world. What world that is, I have no idea."

"Jesus Christ," Lizzie mumbled, fearing for her safety as she did so. She didn't really know what to expect if she stepped foot outside. She just knew that she wasn't going until it was safe. She was well aware that she was a coward, but, she classed herself as an average human and she doubted anyone else was willing to leave safety for the unknown.

"I know," Pepper simply agreed. "It's weird, I thought that being on top of the Tower was the worst thing to have happened to me...that life couldn't get much scarier..."

"But it has," Lizzie concluded and Pepper nodded.

"What better way to frighten a race than with darkness?" she enquired. "Everyone fears what they can't see."

"Showtime's up, babe," Stark's sudden voice came booming into the room as the automatic door opened in front of him and the woman stood up, looking to the side where Tony and Steve were walking. Steve's blue eyes were cast onto the redness of his boots and his hand was tucking his hair behind his ear as Tony stood in front of Pepper.

"What's going to happen?" Pepper wondered from him, resting her hands onto his upper arms and staring him straight in the eye as he stared back at her. He knew that she was concerned. Pepper was normally a calm and collected person, giving as good as she got, but, he knew different when it came to his safety and it worried him slightly. He worried what would happen to her if anything happened to him.

"I've fixed my suit and we've had a hit on Loki in California. The fire from the sky seems to have stopped but the city is full of darkness. Power's been restored and everyone is under emergency lockdown, but, the bad news is that the darkness is moving on."

"What do you mean moving on?" Lizzie was the one to ask and Stark's eyes moved onto hers as Steve looked up, watching her as her small features scrunched up into wonder and he folded his arms over his stomach.

"I mean that it is spreading, like the plague," Tony said. "But just without the horrible warts and phlegm."

"It has reached Washington D.C. and is still going strong," Steve said and Lizzie turned to look at him. "Power's being cut and people are running scared. We need to go and find Loki before the blackout hits California."

"So you're saying that there is no way to stop this?" Pepper checked with Tony, a slender brow arching on her forehead and the Iron Man sighed and shrugged dejectedly. He didn't know what to do. Despite being a billionaire genius, there were something's which he just couldn't explain.

"I've searched all the databases with Banner," he assured them. "We've come up with nothing."

"That's why we need to go and find Loki and get some answers to this madness," Steve declared, his hands balled into fists by his sides and Elizabeth glanced onto him, feeling deeply worried at what could happen and he nodded at Tony who nodded back at him.

"And what?" Pepper asked. "This darkness just keeps on spreading through the States?"

"We don't think it will stop then," Steve whispered and Lizzie's eyes widened. "Loki has always wanted to control us. Now is his chance...the attack on NY was just the start, wasn't it?"

"I don't know," Tony said again. "But, we'll stop him."

After that Tony seemed to go into his little bubble, his arms wrapped around Pepper with the two of them resting their foreheads against each other, too wrapped up in their own company to pay any attention to Steve and Lizzie.

Steve awkwardly coughed but he did move closer to Lizzie, the two of them standing a few feet away as he looked down to her.

"You'll stay here whilst I go," Steve said and she arched a brow, folding her arms and Steve noted the stubborn set of her jaw and sighed, not needing her to argue with him at the moment in time.

"Will I?" she wondered, not too keen on being bossed around.

"Yes," Steve declared. "It's not up for negotiation, Lizzie."

"You're definitely in Captain America mode," she complained, meaning that he had become bossy like a leader and he chuckled, his hands pushing through his hair as he did so and she smirked softly at the sound.

"It's the safest place in the city and Pepper will be here too so you're not alone. Promise me that you won't go outside."

"Promise me that you won't get yourself hurt," Lizzie counteracted and Steve nodded stiffly, his hand moving out to pick hers up as he drew her closer to him. "I mean it, Steve Rogers."

"I will do my best," he promised her. "Besides, I have something worth coming home for."

"Do you know how cheesy you sound?"

"It's only cheesy because of your pessimistic and cynical attitude," Steve retorted and she hit him lightly on the chest, her mouth agape as she wondered how Steve Rogers could talk so negatively about her. He never said a bar word against anyone even in a joking sense. Steve smiled softly and placed his lips onto her forehead.

"You know how you said that you don't believe in a happy fairy tale ending with love?" Steve asked her and she cocked her head to the side, intrigued as to where this was going. She certainly didn't believe in that myth when the country was in a state of dystopia. "Hold on to the belief that it will happen."

"Why?" Lizzie wondered from him and he shook his head.

"Just do it for me?" he pleaded and she continued to look puzzled, but, she did nod and Steve wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'll do my upmost to come back to you."

"In one piece would be nice," Lizzie whispered and Steve inhaled sharply, thinking about what could happen to him. He quickly kicked the thought aside, realising that he had to be going. Time wasn't on their side.

"Stay safe," he urged her, gently swooping down to catch her lips against his, his finger curled under her chin and she pressed back, her mouth slowly moving against his until they heard Tony suddenly whistle at them and Steve gritted his teeth together as he pecked her on the lips one more time.

"Put her down, lover boy," Tony urged him. "We've got a God to go and catch and a world to save."

"Look after yourself," Steve implored Lizzie one more time, his hand slowly moving from her as coldness seemed to move over her body.

"Only as long as you do," she called out to him as he turned on his heel and walked away, Tony by his side and Pepper moved to stand next to Elizabeth.

"No matter how many times he walks off, it never gets easier," she whispered and Lizzie gulped, realising that she was right.

...

A/N: Totally crazy times at uni at the moment! But, thanks to X-PoisonCherry-X, kukuioPunk, stinkysox, H. E. Vaughn, miller330, Jade Bottle, Guest and Pickle1994 for reviewing the previous chapter!

Come on guys, do let me know what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

"So how do you deal with it?" Elizabeth wondered from Pepper as the two women sat at the breakfast bar next to each other. They were underground in the kitchen which Stark had built in. Lizzie was looking around, slightly impressed with the vast space which was hidden underneath his tower. The hidden apartment was quiet and would have been eerie if Pepper wasn't with her.

The elder woman had made dinner of chicken and vegetables. She wasn't hungry and nor was Elizabeth. She just needed to do something to occupy her time instead of spending it worrying about Tony. Of course, it wasn't really working. She was stressed out and almost pulling at her hair. She downed some more of her wine as her other hand toyed with the fork which she was holding and Elizabeth continued to hold her wine glass in both of her hands.

"You don't," Pepper told her honestly. "It's one of the downsides to being in love with a superhero. Tony is too stubborn to listen to me and I do worry that his own pig headedness will be the death of him some day. But, I wouldn't change him for anything."

"I've never been this worried," Lizzie mumbled draining some more wine and Pepper nodded in agreement. Even when Tony had gone off to fight Loki she had never felt as sick as she did now. Her stomach was in constant fits of butterflies and her head was pounding with a headache.

"Neither have I," she admitted. "There's nothing that we can do."

"Isn't there?" Lizzie mumbled to her. She did feel slightly useless if she had to be honest. She knew that she was no superhero and she knew she wasn't as smart as Dr Banner to figure out what was happening. She just felt herself going mad from sitting in a hidden place with nothing to do.

"No," Pepper assured her. "There is nothing which you can do. We need to sit tight and wait for them. They'll figure this out. They've fought Loki before and they can fight him again. I'm sure they can." But, Pepper didn't sound like she was trying to convince anyone but herself. Her head was continuously bobbing up and down as she pushed her hair from her line of vision.

"I'm sure the food is nice-"

"I'm not hungry either," Pepper promised her. "I don't think I can handle eating anything at the moment. I'll clear it up."

"I'll help," Lizzie quickly agreed, jumping down from the bar stool and walking over to the sink, running the tap and grabbing the washing up liquid, ignoring the dishwasher which sat underneath the sink. She needed to do something to stop thinking about what Steve was doing.

...

"What do you think?" Steve wondered as he sat with Banner on the private plane, the two of them looking onto the laptop screen but only one of them understanding it. Steve watched as he clicked at buttons and kept pushing his glasses further up onto his nose. He couldn't deny that Banner was a very talented individual. And he knew that he could keep his other personality under control, but, he was still uneasy in a tin can with a man who could destroy it in thirty seconds and throw them all to their death.

"The darkness hasn't reached California yet and I haven't had a hundred per cent match on Loki so I'm not really sure where he is. The closest thing that I have is San Francisco."

"It's worth a go," Steve whispered to Banner. He leant back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment, his hands clasping together and resting on top of his stomach. He wondered what Lizzie was doing right then. As the plane from New York flew into the light he wondered why he didn't take Lizzie with him. He knew New York wasn't safe, but, Tony had assured him that Pepper and Lizzie would be safe in his apartment. Loki wouldn't get to them there.

"You're thinking about her again," Tony suddenly spoke and Steve rolled his eyes from behind closed lids before he peeled one eye open and looked at Tony who had take a seat opposite Banner who was still focused on his laptop.

"I assume you're talking to me?" Steve checked and Tony snorted, looking across to Banner and nodding his chin in his direction.

"No, I'm on about Mrs Hulk," Tony said, the sarcasm evident in his voice. "She's just as beautiful as Banner over there on the inside because we both know they're very ugly on the outside."

"I'll just pretend I didn't hear that," Banner said, picking the laptop up from the table and resting it onto his knees, wishing he could crawl inside of it to get rid of Tony. On the other hand, he could easily destroy him but he'd end up killing the rest of the people on the plane and he didn't want to do that.

"You need to stop worrying about her," Tony implored Steve who arched a thin blonde brow in his direction.

"And you're not worrying about Pepper?" Steve wondered and Tony shrugged, looking across to the window.

"There is no use in worrying," Tony said back to him. "Pepper is safe along with your girl. They'll be doing enough worrying for both of us. Besides, you know what Pepper is like. She will be taking good care of your waitress."

"I just want this to be over," Steve complained in a mutter, tugging on the sleeve of the star spangled suit which he wore.

"It will be when we can get our hands on Loki," Tony assured Steve, looking around the plane as Fury spoke with Agent Hill and Thor. Natasha and Clint were sat in a corner, the pair of them looking intently onto each other and whispering about plans which they would have.

"Well, this time we won't let Loki be going back with a certain Norse God," Tony grumbled, still blaming Thor for Loki's escape back onto earth. He didn't know whose fault it was really, but, he blamed Thor.

"He won't get the chance to," Steve said, certain about that. "He's crossed the line this time."

"He crossed the line last time," Banner piped up, still looking onto Loki's face on his screen as he seemingly appeared in San Francisco.

"Don't you talk like that," Tony said, wagging his finger in Banner's direction. "We don't want you getting angry and bringing this plane down."

"I've got it under control," Banner muttered.

"Any luck on finding out what this darkness is?" Fury suddenly popped up in the aisle, his brow raised and his hands on his hips.

"Not yet," Banner told him, removing his glasses and looking up to the man who he called his boss. "I still think Loki could be in San Fran though. We're going to have to act quickly. We don't want him getting away."

"The plane has begun its descent," Fury spoke and a firm nod escaped his head. "As soon as we touchdown then we begin the search. Can you narrow him down to a certain location?"

"I'm working on it as we speak," Banner promised.

"So when we get to Loki then can we kill him? It would stop all of this 'taking over the world' annoyance." Tony checked and Fury glared at him.

"You apprehend him and bring him in, Stark. No funny business," Fury said and Tony placed his hand over his chest as he stood up, needing to stretch his legs.

"Me? Funny business?" he said, his hand resting on Fury's shoulder as he passed him to the bathroom. "I leave the funny business up to the Cap nowadays. He can barely stop the funny business when he's with his receptionist."

Steve's brows furrowed together as he thought about Lizzie and Fury moved off to Natasha whilst the Cap looked up to Banner who was still looking intently at his laptop.

"Do you own one of those mobile phone thingy's?" Steve wondered and Banner moved his hand into his pocket and played with the buttons, knowing what Steve was after.

"It's calling Tony's emergency apartment," he assured him and Steve nodded, taking it and pressing it to his ear as he stood up and moved down to the front of the plane, his hand on his hip as he heard the phone ring.

"Hello?"

"Pepper?"

"Steve?"

"Yeah, we're on the plane...and I was just wondering if I could talk to Lizzie?"

"Is Tony okay?" Pepper worried and Steve sighed and looked back down the plane as Tony exited the bathroom and sat in between Clint and Natasha, a grin on his face as they rolled their eyes at him.

"He's still as annoying as ever. Do you want to talk to him?"

"After you've spoken to Lizzie...I'll just get her."

Steve turned on the spot, his eyes downcast whilst he heard the muffling on the phone and waited for Lizzie to come onto the line.

"You couldn't go one day without me, could you?" Lizzie smiled down the phone, sitting down on the sofa as she heard Steve chuckle and she could imagine the hand running through his hair and the blush moving onto his cheeks.

"How well you know me," Steve responded and it was Lizzie's chance to smirk. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lizzie promised him. "What about you?"

"We're just about to land in California in ten minutes or so," he spoke to her. "We think Loki is here somewhere."

"And is the darkness still spreading?"

"It is," Steve said. "We still have no idea what it is yet. I just wanted to call to see if you were okay."

"I am," Lizzie assured him again. "It's you that I'm worried about, Steve. You're the one off to tackle a Norse God."

"I've done it before and I can do it again," Steve promised and Lizzie groaned gently. "I know this is bigger than before but it will be fine."

"I believe you," Lizzie humoured. What could she say to him? She didn't want to be the pessimist for Steve. He didn't need that from her at that moment in time. "I still miss you."

"Really?" Steve wondered, the dorky smile moving onto his features.

"You can wipe the smile from your face, Steve Rogers," Lizzie giggled, pulling her knees up to her chin as she felt like a teenager once again. "I don't say that to many people, you know?"

"I am aware," Steve promised her and she chuckled at hearing him. "I just like to think I'm special."

"You're Captain America," Lizzie reminded him. "I think it is safe to say that you are certainly special."

"As long as you know that you're special, too," Steve informed her and she snorted at him.

"You're becoming too soppy for your own good," she complained to him and he shrugged. "This isn't some romantic film."

"Not like your Notting Hill," Steve said, recalling her favourite film as she nodded.

"Well, they never had an alien invasion," she mumbled and Steve cocked his head to the side, thinking about how that could have made the film a bit more interesting. He didn't say so, of course, knowing she would kill him for it. "Pepper's lurking around waiting to talk to Tony."

"Is that our queue to say goodbye?" Steve wondered and Lizzie sighed.

"I suppose it probably is," she admitted. "Promise me that you will be safe."

"Likewise, Lizzie," Steve urged her. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Lizzie said, the three words turning in her head as she wondered about whether or not she should say them to him. Who knew what was going to happen in the future? She didn't know. "Steve...I do...I mean...I love you, okay?"

Steve remained silent whilst he took in what she had said as he choked slightly. She hadn't just said that? How did he tell her back? His throat seemed to close up slightly as he thought for a moment.

Peggy.

No. He couldn't think about her when Lizzie was declaring her love for him. Peggy would understand. She would understand him. Peggy had moved on and Steve needed to. He needed to, but, some part of him was clutching at straws at the memory of Peggy.

"Steve?" Lizzie spoke when he didn't answer and she wondered if she had done something stupid. "Are you there?"

"I'm here," he squeaked out. "Lizzie...I do...you too...you know...I do love you, too."

She smiled at hearing him before Pepper began to lurk closer to her.

"Pepper is desperate to talk to Tony," Lizzie informed Steve. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Bye, Liz."

Lizzie handed the phone to Pepper whilst Steve looked at Tony who rolled his eyes but took the phone from him as he whispered into Steve's ear;

"You've been on the phone for a while," he informed him. "Lizzie good at the old speaking down the phone, if you know what I mean?" Tony winked and Steve remained confused as he shook his head, his hand resting against his forehead as he did so.

"I don't ever want to know what you mean."

...

A/N: I know that I haven't updated in a while! I've been really busy at uni, but, here is the next chapter so please do review and let me know what you think!


	23. Chapter 23

"Loki's been caught!" Pepper exclaimed, bounding into the living area where Elizabeth was pacing once again. New York was slowly becoming accustomed to the darkness which surrounded it. The mayor had declared the need for a full cleanup operation of any damage and emergency electric was up and running which meant that news crews could go back into action. That consequently meant that Elizabeth spent her every single moment watching coverage in the hope that some miracle would happen.

She knew it wasn't likely. She was just living in hope. But, living in hope was better than living in fear. Her parents had tried to contact her, phoning every day in the hope that she might pick up. She'd text them, saying that she was okay but just too busy to even talk to them. And that was sort of true. She'd found something to do with her spare time.

Tony's supply cupboards were vast and there was so much food for just her and Pepper that she thought it seemed rather pointless to keep it to themselves. And so she had gone about fixing pots of soup in small polystyrene cups which Tony kept in his lab. She'd gone about the streets, handing them out to whoever needed them. Yes, New York was in a state of emergency but no one seemed to care for the Law when people's homes had been destroyed by burning fire from the sky. Looting and violence were becoming a way of life and Lizzie knew that soup seemed pointless when they could go and raid the nearest shop. But, there were still some decent people left in the world who refused to sink down to the levels of lowness and violence.

"What?" Lizzie exclaimed as soon as Pepper nodded frantically, her blonde hair bouncing over her shoulders as she did so. Lizzie's mouth hung open as she shook her head in disbelief and Pepper continued to bounce lightly up and down on her heels.

"Yeah!" she cried out. "They found him in San Fran and there was something like a massive fight between them...anyway...Tony told me all the details but I just stopped listening...and they got him. They're on the way back to New York with him now."

"Did he say anything about the darkness?"

"That's the downside," Pepper admitted, her head cocked to the side as she spoke. "Tony said that he refuses to speak. He's giving them the silent treatment. Thor is trying to worm something out of him but he's failing miserably."

"So we're still no closer to getting rid of this?" Lizzie checked, feeling slightly deflated.

"No," Pepper admitted. "But...they're safe...they're alive..."

That was when Lizzie realised that was all that mattered. Steve being alive and on the way back to her was all that she really craved. That was all that really mattered to her at that moment in time.

"When do they get back?"

"They're on the way now," Pepper said and Lizzie nodded.

...

Lizzie finished wandering the streets of New York later on in the day, giving up looking through her apartment which had been raided and destroyed. She didn't expect anything less and she had mentally prepared herself for the sight which would come upon her. Yes, her apartment had been nothing special, but, it had been hers. It had been hers and she had some special things inside of her home. They were small things which didn't mean much to anyone else but had been taken.

She knew that Steve would have a fit if he knew she was out and wandering the streets, but, there were police around. They just weren't doing a lot. She could handle herself anyway. She knew that much and she wished Steve would know it.

Lizzie moved out from her apartment block and pulled her bag over her shoulder and did up the blazer which she wore, slinging the small holdall of stuff behind her back as she went. She kept her head down, knowing that was the best thing to do as she ignored people looking at her, knowing that they just wanted to know what she had in her bag.

"How many times do I have to tell you to do something?"

Lizzie froze as she finally looked up and where she was going. And there he was. He was stood in front of her with his brown leather jacket on his shoulders and the usual checker shirt in place as Lizzie's mouth dropped open slightly. She hadn't expected him back this soon.

"Did you teleport from San Fran?" she wondered from him and he arched a brow.

"No," he said. "We flew."

"At the speed of light?"

"You're forgetting what we are," Steve smiled lightly at her and she stood before him as he continued to stare down to her. "We have all of these modern gadgets which make everything faster."

"That's a good thing when it comes to times like these, then," Lizzie said, a small smile escaping her mouth.

"Especially when I find out you've been wandering around New York on your own in this darkness."

"There are street lights!" she protested.

"Anything could happen randomly," Steve pointed out to her and resisted the need to roll her eyes at him. "I'm serious, Lizzie. We still don't know what is happening."

"So why are you here and not finding out?"

"Thor's doing his work," Steve told her, slightly put out by her comment. Why did she think he was with her? He'd gone to make sure she was alive and okay. He didn't know why she couldn't see that. Sometimes he needed to be selfish. He needed to put her first on some occasions.

"I'm fine, Steve," she promised him. "How are you? You're not hurt, are you?"

"No," Steve shook his head at her and she shook her head. "I'm fine, honestly. He didn't really put up the best fight which I've had."

"Steve!" Lizzie snapped at him. "You don't want a better fight!"

"No," Steve said after a moment of hesitation. "I suppose I don't. Pepper tells me you've been giving out soup."

"Sounds pointless, doesn't it?" Lizzie checked with him. "People are stealing and I just give out soup to make myself feel a little less useless."

"You do know that there were women in the war who did cooking for the soldiers," Steve told her, grabbing onto her hand tightly and beginning to walk down the street, his arm around her shoulders protectively as they went. "We appreciated them more than you can actually imagine."

"But still," Lizzie drawled. "I'm just glad that you're back and in one piece, Steve."

"It isn't over yet," he reminded her and she winced, squeezing on his hand.

"Just give me this one, Steve," she whispered. "When do you need to go back?"

"A couple of hours," he replied. "We're going to get you back inside and safe seeing as how you can't listen to me."

"I can, I just wanted to go back to my apartment and get some stuff before it's all stolen," she said to him and he pursed his lips, sort of understanding where she was coming from.

"And what I said on the phone," Lizzie whispered to him. "I do...I mean it."

"I know," Steve replied. "I mean it too."

The pair of them smiled silently at each other before Steve kissed her on the back of the hand and the pair of them continued to walk down the street.

...

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews and do let me know what you think!


	24. Chapter 24

"I do often wonder what happened to the cynical woman I met weeks ago," Steve informed Elizabeth as soon as she sat beside him on the sofa in Stark's massive living room. Steve had collapsed as soon as he entered, his eyes closing and his hands resting behind his head as tiredness slowly crept over his body. Even superheroes needed sleep. Lizzie had gone off into the kitchen to make them so coffee, interrupting Stark and Pepper as they seemed to be lost in their own world.

"She's still here," Lizzie promised Steve with a small smirk, handing him the mug and resting beside him, sipping on her own coffee. Steve remained slightly stiff by her side, wondering if he should wrap his arm around her or not. He'd told her that he loved her, for heaven's sake. "I'm still pretty cynical every now and then."

"Not as much as you were on the first night I spoke to you," Steve assured her, reminiscing over their past. He still found it strange to think that he had managed to find someone in modern day New York who knew his secret and still cared for him. "Do you remember that?"

"I don't think I can really forget, Steve," Lizzie complained, taking a swig of her steaming drink whilst Steve placed his on the small glass coffee table in front of them. "My ex-boyfriend had just cheated on me and attempted to beat me up."

"I still fail to believe that you even courted that man," Steve shook his head and Elizabeth smiled at his choice of words. 'Courted' and 'man' were two words which she wouldn't have placed in that sentence.

"Well, we all make mistakes," Elizabeth muttered back, not really wanting to think about Geoff when she had Steve sat next to her. She quickly moved around on the sofa, resting on her knees as she dropped her bum to sit against her heels and she looked at him. "When do you go?"

"Another couple of hours," he whispered softly. "Stark and I pushed Fury for some extra time. Apparently Loki isn't opening up to Thor about any of this and Banner still has no idea about what is happening. The whole thing is a mess, Lizzie."

"Something has got to happen," Lizzie nodded sternly. "When it does then everything will be back to normal, won't it?"

"Define normal," Steve joked with her and she shrugged, her fingers lacing together as she glanced up to the ceiling.

"Maybe not normal then," she deadpanned. "Just something a little more...tame," she informed him and Steve arched a brow at hearing that word. Nothing in his life had ever been tame before.

"As long as a proper date happens," Steve said and Lizzie chuckled as she heard Pepper from the next room give out a loud laugh. The two of them looked at the closed door as Steve's brows rose on his forehead and Elizabeth shook her head.

"I don't even want to know what they're doing in there," Steve grumbled and Lizzie nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of dates," Lizzie muttered, untangling her limbs and resting against Steve's side, his stern torso keeping her upright as his arm slowly moved around her shoulders and he looked down at her. "Where would you want to go?"

"I'm not fussed," Steve assured her. "I'll think of somewhere nice."

"You're not going to find anywhere like that in NY at the moment," she informed Steve. "The entire city is being destroyed. I'll think of something."

"Isn't it the man's job to take the woman somewhere?" Steve wondered, his face scrunching up in confusion and Lizzie shook her head.

"It's the twenty first century," she reminded him. "Women do occasionally take men out on dates. It's still a rare thing, but, it is done."

"I see," Steve said, still not really seeing but agreeing. He found it easier to agree with Lizzie rather than argue with her most times when concerning modern life. Stark had told him that was giving in to the woman. He also then said that was what the modern man did if he wanted an easy life.

"My parents keep on phoning me," Lizzie changed the conversation. "My voicemail is overflowing with my mother declaring she really does care about if I am safe or not."

"Did you call them back?" Steve asked her and she shrugged.

"I text her saying that I was fine and safe."

"That's a lie considering you went out to the streets," Steve scolded her slightly and she rolled her eyes at hearing him, her pointy elbow jabbing him in the ribs but doing no damage against his muscle.

"I can't sit around and do nothing," she reminded him. "Much like Captain America."

"He was designed to do something. Steve Rogers is here and designed to make sure his girlfriend does nothing stupid," Steve told her and she looked up at him with wide orbs and an arched brow.

"You just called me your girlfriend," she told him and he noted that he had done.

"I'm assuming that is the correct term."

"You assume correctly," she promised him, slowly leaning upwards to kiss him quickly. Steve chuckled and leant back on his seat before he heard Stark's commanding voice.

"Fury called," Tony snapped, clearly irritated and dishevelled by the man in charge. "He wants us to go in now."

"Now?"

"That's what I said, Cap," Tony grumbled as Pepper stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder before he turned to look at her and kiss her quickly on the lips.

"You'd best go," Lizzie moved from Steve and he stood up, tucking her hair behind her ear as she smiled weakly at him, trying to be encouraging for his sake.

...

Elizabeth stepped outside for a moment, the fresh air sharply moving through her body as she thought about Steve and she continued to hope that he was okay. She didn't know why it hurt so much when he left. Deep down, she was being irrational. They had caught Loki and she was sure that Steve was going to be okay. He would be safe. He had to be. It just didn't stop her from worrying, of course. Lightly, she leant against the brick wall at the side of the building and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Out in this darkness?"

Her eyes snapped open as she turned quickly to look at the man whose voice she could hear. She rolled her eyes before standing up straight and turning to look at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"He said that I'd find you here and he was right."

"Who is he?" Lizzie snapped out in wonder.

"The one who made all of this possible," he extended his arms to gesture around.

"You do know the one who made all of this possible has now been caught, don't you?" Lizzie checked with him and he chuckled darkly, his hands in his pockets as she sauntered closer to her.

"For now," he nodded.

"Whatever," Lizzie snapped and she began to walk off from him. He had other ideas. Quickly, he grabbed her around the arm and hauled her back to him, pressing her body tightly against his, giving her no room for movement. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'd say sorry," he informed her, his mouth close to her ear as she withered against his hold. "I'm really not though...he needs me to do this and for once I'm happy to oblige...really...I am..."

"Who?" Lizzie snapped quickly. "What are you on about?"

"You'll soon see," he promised, his hand wrapping into her hair as she gave out an excruciating yell of pain before he pulled her hair back, the back of her head hitting the wall and knocking her out. One of his hands wrapped around her body, the other using his grubby fingers to cup her cheek as he smiled in glee.

...

A/N: Bit of a twist there, I'm afraid! Anyway, thank you to everyone who is reading and to my four reviewers for the previous chapter – shadow-dog18, Marmarloves1D, Doreandrix and miller330.

I'm really sorry that updates aren't as frequent due to busy workloads, but, I really do love reviews and it makes my day when I see a comment so please, do let me know what you think as it means a lot!


	25. Chapter 25

"Has he said anything?" Steve enquired, his arms folded and his chin jutted out in stubbornness as he stood beside Tony, the pair of them looking onto the monitor which showed a picture of Loki on it, his eyes looking distant and vacant as he stared out into the distance, the same grin constantly occupying his features.

"Not a word," Dr Banner spoke, walking around the monitors and typing things onto the keyboards, trying to search for some explanation as to why there was the darkness engulfing the entire area of America seeing as how Loki wouldn't give them any answers as to what was happening. Tony scratched at the beard on his chin as he looked to Clint and Natasha who were very quiet, standing closely together. He had been looking at the pair of them and they oozed intimacy. He had to hold his tongue not to make some kind of lucid joke.

He looked across to Steve who remained intent on the monitor. He was determined to make Loki talk. The sooner that could be done then the sooner he could go back to his Elizabeth.

"How long before we issue some kind of torture on him then?" Tony wondered, circling around the monitors, drawing up a larger screen which Banner had been looking at, standing in front of it whilst looking onto the data which it held. He was unsure as to what think, wondering about what was causing the darkness. He couldn't help but begin to worry. The Avengers had come through much worse but the darkness was slowly becoming worse.

"Fury said that torture isn't really to be used," Banner said and Stark arched a brow as Steve moved forwards, a hand pushing through his blonde hair.

"But Fury may go back on his word if Loki continues not to say anything?" he wondered and Banner shrugged awkwardly, his face paling and a yawn escaping his lips. Tiredness was overcoming and a lack of sleep was hurting his ability to perform his work on his usual scale. All he wanted was for it to be over so that he could go back to his regular work and have a break. A holiday seemed like a good idea to him.

"Possible," Banner mumbled. Steve sighed, ruffling his blonde hair once again and Tony looked to the Captain who was advancing from the lab and towards the corridor. Tony looked around for a moment and he then pushed through the doors and followed Steve.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tony wondered, catching up with the Captain who was dressed in his star spangled suit. "If you're going to beat the crap out of Loki then I would be willing to hope. I'm getting a bit tired of playing the superhero now and could just do with some quality time with Pepper if you know what I'm saying," Tony nudged him and Steve arched a brow before coming into the room which housed Loki in his glass cage.

The guards looked around and then back to each other before Fury stepped out from around the corner. Loki stood up from the bench which he had been sat on, his eyes gleaming and a glint in his eye as he looked at the Captain and Stark.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked, looking between them with his eye.

"I'm tired of waiting," Stark said through gritted teeth, his eyes entirely focused on Loki. "I've come to get something out of him."

"Torture was never the style of the Cap," Fury said and Stark shook his head, holding his hand up to stop the boss from going on.

"I'm not going to torture him," Steve said. "I just want to talk to him."

"So talk," Loki spoke up and the crew all looked startled. It was the first time the God of Mischief had spoken during the entire time of his captivity. "Go ahead, Captain. Speak up and be the leader which you were made to be. I don't see anyone else in this room taking control."

"You shut up," Fury said, pointing directly at Loki whilst the God couldn't help but contain the smirk on his face. "I will deal with this."

"No offence, sir," Steve said, his voice curt and annoyed. "But nothing has been dealt with as of yet."

"That's because these things take time," Fury replied, standing in front of Steve who continued to glare at him through his normally soft blue eyes.

"How much time do we have left?" Steve replied. "We have no idea what is happening and he is the only who can tell us!"

"The Captain is correct on that front," Loki declared and Steve looked back to him, the glare still coming through from his baby blue eyes.

"Talk then," Fury decided, looking at his crew. "Everyone out for a moment."

The crew looked around and moved out of the automatic doors. Tony remained silent, pensive with wonder as Steve approached Loki's cage, standing a few centimetres away as Loki moved closer to the glass.

"What is it that you want to talk about?" Loki wondered, his fingers laced together and held behind his back.

"You know," Steve snapped back. "You realise that this has been going on for too long. Just tell us what is causing this."

"Now what fun would that be?" Loki checked with Steve who seemed to growl slightly. Tony rolled his eyes. It was clear that Loki wasn't going to spill anything. He simply intended to wind Steve and that was what he was doing. Tony didn't intend to let Loki have the satisfaction which he wanted by taunting Steve.

"He's not going to speak," Tony said and Loki looked to him, nodding once. "He's simply intending to annoy us and lead us around on a merry chase with his riddles. If I had my way then I'd definitely use torture."

"Stark!" Fury snapped. He didn't need the egotistical man to annoy the God. He didn't need a fed up God in his cell. "Don't start. We do things my way."

"And your way is really working, isn't it?" Loki checked, loving the tension which he was causing. He didn't know that he had the skill to do that as badly as he was doing. He had to admit it was a proud moment for him. "Besides, I have to say that I do know something which you don't know. I am surprised that my dear brother isn't here. The compassion he has for his sibling is overwhelming."

"I see you haven't lost that sarcasm," Tony nodded. "You'll need it if you're to spend the rest of your days in this cell. Compromise can make up for that."

"I don't need compromise. My day is coming." Loki said proudly.

"What did you mean," Steve said, still dwelling on Loki's previous words. "You said that you know something which we don't know. What did you mean?"

"You caught onto that?" Loki taunted. "The first time I took your dear girlfriend...how do you think I knew where she lived?"

Steve remained mute. The question had never crossed his lips.

"I mean, I am not one to find out such trivial information. But the conversation I had with her ex lover was one of intrigue," Loki chuckled loudly and Steve felt the blood move through his body turn cold. "I made a bargain with him."

"And what bargain is this?" Tony asked, speaking for Steve who seemed to be motionless.

"I never intended to kill dear Lizzie. Just use her to get you superheroes to come out and play," Loki shrugged. "I disregarded her and promised her ex exclusive possession for his information. Apparently he had some unfinished business with her. I told him where she was in return for his previous aid. I really had nothing to lose from doing. If anything it makes your group disband more, does it not?" Loki wondered and Steve shook his head, unable to believe what was happening. "You see, even from in this cell you cannot keep me from the outside world. I am invincible."

"You're something," Stark assured him. "Invincible isn't the word which I would use."

"Where is she?" Steve spoke, his voice low and deadly. "Where is he with her?"

"I couldn't tell you," Loki replied back. "Funny is it? How one woman can take away the leader of a pack. And you'll be pleased to know that isn't all I have up my sleeve."

"Where is she?" Steve snapped out loud, his fist banging on the glass and Loki rolled his eyes, turning his back on the Captain.

"Emotions for a human," Loki drawled. "There really is nothing as disgusting."

"Where is she? Tell me where she is, Goddamn it!" Steve roared as Tony wrapped his hand around his shoulder, urging him away from the God who seemed intent on winding them up.

"Keep your loved ones close," Loki called out. "For once I have destroyed them then I am moving up to the main ones. And then nothing will stop me."

...

A/N: Such a tormenter that Loki is! Anyway, I thank all of my reviewers for their reviews and I do hope you are still reading and haven't lost the faith in me to update as I assure you that I will!


	26. Chapter 26

Steve stood in the lab with his fist balled up and pressed against his mouth as he looked onto the computer screen of Banner's which showed Loki sat in his cell, lounging around as if he had no care in the world. Yet he knew that to be untrue. He knew that inside of this prison cell was the safest place for him until they came. He had been given a second chance, something which was completely unheard of to him. He had promised them that he would not mess up this time. He had already threatened on doing so.

He knew the darkness which fell over New York and the rest of America would spread soon enough. The plan to take over the world was one which Loki relished. Of course, his position as a leader had been demoted and his only privilege in life would be to live. Somehow that did not feel quite enough to the Asgardian leader who wanted more than that. He needed more.

The time would come and he would be released from the cell. The heroes would be disbanded once again. He had already managed to get to his brother who was making sure his precious earthling Jane was safe in the Maldives after Loki had gotten into his head and informed him that his men were on the way to the small home which she lived in.

Thor had gone mad with worry, deciding Loki could wait whilst he had been captured and had rushed off to Jane Foster. And now Steve was running after his precious Elizabeth Meyer. Banner would be easy to crack – the constant working was tiring the man out and Loki knew it. He did not consider the two S.H.I.E.L.D agents anything to worry about. They were mortal and possessed no power which he could not handle. Their care for each other would be their downfall, Loki knew that.

And that simply left Stark's loving assistant, Pepper Potts. With Steve's dear missing, Stark's first port of call will be to keep Pepper safe.

Everyone had their weak spot and Loki knew exactly where the Avenger's were held.

With them falling over each other to keep a certain few safe the rest of the world would perish. And once it had perished then he would extract his revenge over their cherished ones. Only when that was completed would he move on to the heroes.

Loki smiled sinisterly to himself at the thought of breaking out the prison cell which he was in and working in alliance with the leader of the foreign galaxy. He had grovelled with an apology and had been granted another chance to redeem himself and he hoped that he had.

He hoped that by disbanding the Avengers he had proved his worth. They thought that Loki was the worst thing to grace Earth. How they had been mistaken and would pay for that terrible error of judgement.

...

"Can you trace her phone?" Steve asked Banner as he thought about everything which could happen and Banner shook his head sadly to Steve, pushing his glasses further onto his nose after he had told the Captain.

"No can do. All cell phone service is down."

"Right," Steve said, moving the gloves on his hands before dropping his hands onto his hips and they all looked to him with wonder as to what he was intending to do. Stark had left, informing them that Pepper was the only thing which he cared about.

His love for Pepper was one thing which he had already taken for granted. Ever since the first incident with Loki he refused to put her in danger or lose her.

Everyone watched as Steve moved to the doors, his hands pulling at the mask to the costume as he pushed it on top of his head and covered his face. He grabbed the shield which sat in the corridor of the underground headquarters. Quickly, he rushed up to the surface, ignoring the odd looks which he was receiving from members of S.H.I.E.L.D. He didn't care for explaining where he was going when he knew exactly what he had to do.

Steve looked at the sky which remained pitch black above him and he moved along the quiet streets of New York, noting how the usual bustling had disappeared from them. Not that he blamed them for hiding themselves indoors. He would probably do the same if he weren't Captain America and had duties. Besides, he wasn't designed to sit back and do nothing when people relied on him, not like the modern era seemed to do. He stepped up and did what he needed to.

He moved quickly, looking around for any sign of transportation which he could work. Preferably a motorcycle. But, there was nothing which was not destroyed. Without luck he quickly rushed through the streets to where Geoff's apartment lay.

Deep down he knew it was probably a stupid idea. He wouldn't keep Lizzie holed up there. He should know that would be the first port of call which Steve went to when he found out she had been taken. But Steve went regardless. It was somewhere to start looking. It was better than sitting around and not knowing what was happening to her.

He couldn't understand it. Why would Geoff want her? He had thrown her out of his apartment, refusing to put up with her. He had kicked her out and told her that he never wanted to see her again. What kind of a person did that and then extracted revenge. He could only assume Geoff wasn't the usual type of person.

No, he didn't have to assume. He knew as much.

Steve eventually reached the apartment block, thankful that the base wasn't far away from it. The main door to his apartment building was unlocked and the corridor was trashed with everything imaginable from shopping trolleys to the remainder of logs for fires. Steve shook his head and took the steps up to the apartment which he knew Geoff lived in.

He banged on the door once, not giving anyone enough time to answer before he quickly barged the door down, walking in and looking around the modestly decorated apartment.

"Lizzie!" he called out, his voice full of false hope as he received no answer back to his ears. He pushed doors open and even went as far as to look into the closest, desperation taking a hold of his body as he sighed deeply, his breathing becoming erratic once he realised she was nowhere to be seen.

"Lizzie!" he tried again, his voice wobbling on her name. "Where are you, Lizzie! Jesus Christ!"

He pulled the mask back from his eyes and ran his hands through his blonde hair, pulling at it as he bowed his head, a single tear escaping from his eyes.

...

Lizzie didn't know how long she had been tied to the wooden chair. Long enough she supposed considering she couldn't feel her bottom due to numbness. Her back ached and her head pounded as the gag in her mouth became uncomfortable and she continued trying to push her hands from the ropes which bound her.

"There is no use in fighting."

It was the first thing which he had said to her in the entire time she had been tied up. He'd been sat on the leather sofa at the side of the room, circling his prey which sat in the middle on the shaggy rug. Lizzie's eyes snapped across to look at him, her hair falling onto her cheeks as sweat poured down her forehead and he stood up.

"No one is here to save you. Really, everyone left the apartment block," he told her and she squirmed about in the seat, swearing from between the gag. He chuckled as he bent beside her, his hand squeezing her chin to force her to look at him as her eyes widened in fear.

"Now, cursing is not very becoming of you, Lizzie." He warned her before she cursed again at him. "Of course, looking back on it, there really was never anything which was attractive about you."

He smirked, standing up whilst Lizzie remained mute, her face one of thunder and he laughed to himself, his head shaking back and forth as he did so.

"Hence why the affair commenced," he whispered, his brow arching as he looked back at her. "She had a much better physique than you, baby. She actually had curves you could see."

Lizzie remained calm, not allowing his words to get to her as she remained silent, refusing to become irate with him. Did he honestly think that she cared? Did he honestly think his lucid affair bothered her? Not when she had found Steve because of him and she knew who the better man was.

"So that probably leaves you wondering why I have you here," he said and Lizzie allowed a sarcastic remark to come through her mind and he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck as he did so.

"You see, I threw you out...with the intention of having everything back on track again...I thought I was free and Allie could move in...turns out she didn't want someone who had been cheating on their girlfriend," he rolled his eyes.

_Lucky escape for her, _Lizzie thought and Geoff turned his back on her, prowling around the chair in which she sat.

"And then I realised that maybe having you back wouldn't be too bad," he shrugged. "You were willing and I assumed you needed a place to stay and you were ever so...desirable...when you wanted to be."

"But then I saw you with _him. _The pair you walking back into the apartment and I realised that you really did have an issue, didn't you? You're a needy creature really. You told me all about your relationships in the past and I saw it then. I saw how you need to cling onto some. You always want to be loved...thinking your life is such a failure and then having someone bail you out of the dark abyss which you find yourself in."

Lizzie remained silent, listening to his haunting words whilst she thought about him. It wasn't true. She could get along fine on her own. She didn't need anyone.

_But I need Steve. I need Steve so much right now._

"So, I began to resent you for moving on. I didn't want that. I wanted you back. And so I found myself hating that boyfriend of yours...but then...well...someone can looking for you here...and I told him you'd moved. He was much put out but then he heard my tone of distaste...and we made a deal. One which would benefit him and one which very much _please _me," he assured her, bending down behind her, his hand wandering up and down her neck as his lips rested on the hollow base of her throat.

"So, you see, things ended up for the best for me. He also divulged information about your little boyfriend. Captain America? I almost laughed when he told me...but then again...you have always had a way of picking them, haven't you, Liz? I mean there was Collin in College, wasn't there? Dear Collin...and then after that it was anyone, wasn't it? Anyone who could satisfy you until we met...and you thought I loved you."

"Well, Lizzie, I hate to disappoint, but love is never anything which I've felt. Most certainly not for you, sweetie."

Lizzie moaned out as his tongue dashed against her skin and she felt her body convulse with fear as he nibbled ferociously at her neck.

"Lizzie!"

Geoff stopped his torment for a moment, his eyes darting up as he heard the soldier shout her name and he smiled softly.

"Looks like lover boys got the wrong apartment, doesn't it? Pretty clever, isn't it? Switching to the next apartment to keep him off the scent. Once he's checked here then he won't come back...and he won't find you...no one will."

"Where are you, Lizzie! Jesus Christ!" he yelled again and Lizzie screamed against her gag, muffled sounds coming from her as she realised there was no point to it. There really was no use but she continued with her attempt regardless as Geoff stood up, looking to the wall which separated the super soldier and him.

"There really is no one to save you."

...

A/N: All kicking off now, I can assure you guys! I would like to thank miller330, stinkysox and CuteSango07 for reviewing the previous chapter!

Remember to drop me a comment pretty please!


	27. Chapter 27

"And if I continuously scream?" Elizabeth snapped as soon as Geoff had lowered the gag on her mouth. The filthy white cloth hung from her neck as she gritted her teeth together, continuously thrashing against the ropes which bound her. He smiled gently, walking around the room to make sure the curtains were firmly secured shut.

"Like I said, there is no one in the apartment block and so it would be pretty irrelevant. Scream if you want, the soldier has left."

Elizabeth remained silent, believing his words. He wouldn't hold her hostage where people were and could find her. He wasn't that stupid.

"So what is this?" Lizzie wondered. "Extract some revenge just because your life turned to shit?"

He glowered at her as she sarcastically beamed at him, her chin jutting out in stubbornness. A taunting look crossed her face. She wasn't giving into him. She wouldn't show him just how scared she really was. She was scared that Steve wouldn't find her. She was scared that she'd never see him again and maybe this was the end. Maybe there was nothing more. And if that was the case, she didn't intend on snivelling in front of her psychotic ex-boyfriend.

"Well, my life ended up turning out pretty well. It improved the moment I found out you had been sleeping around with someone else. She must have been desperate and you must have been easily lured. What does that say about you, hmm, Geoff?" Elizabeth wondered and his hands balled into fists by his side. "Whatever deal you made with Loki is irrelevant to him. He has bigger fish to fry other than me. Did you think you were the big 'I am'? A Norse God asking you for help? Make you feel better than the grovelling piece of crap which you are?"

"Shut up!" he demanded from her and laughed once at him.

"I'm glad you cheated. I'm glad you ended up being a scumbag because I found someone who cares! I found someone who is ten times the man you are and I love him! I love him more than anything!"

"Sweet," Geoff simply responded to her little outburst and she nodded at him in agreement. It was sweet. It was more than sweet. Geoff would never understand how she would feel about Steve and sometimes Lizzie didn't know herself. She had never been the romantic. She had never been one to melt at the sight of a man but she found herself doing just that whenever she caught a glimpse of his baby blues or his tousled blonde hair.

"I don't know what you plan to do," Lizzie whispered, a sense of bravado leaving her for a moment as she thought about the pain which she may be endured to. She thought long and hard about what he was intending to do and she decided it wasn't worth contemplating. For the more she contemplated then the more she feared and she evidentially did not need that. "I don't care if you're going to kill me."

"You say that like it is something trivial, Liz," he told her and she shrugged awkwardly, tossing her head to the side so her grimy dark blonde locks fell behind her shoulders. "You say it like you're not bothered. Like leaving would be something enjoyable."

"Compared to staying with you it would be," she promised him and he rolled his eyes.

"You always were so melodramatic. I see some things never change."

"No," she agreed. "You're still an asshole."

"Droll," Geoff simply whispered. "Imagine never seeing Captain America again. How hard will it be on him? I've been informed you're the only thing which he has in this age. What's it like going out with someone old enough to your grandfather? Someone who has been frozen for years? It must be odd."

"If it is anything then it is more than I could ever want," Lizzie said, her tone holding one of exaggeration. But she wasn't exaggeration. She was telling him the truth. Being with Steve was the best thing to have ever happened to her. "Steve is a good man and he will find you."

"You sound so confident."

"He's Captain America. I've never known him give up on anything. He's battled armies, Geoff. What do you think he will do when he finds you?"

"There's a minor detail in there," Geoff said, wagging his finger in her direction. "He will never find me, or, by the time he does, it will be too late."

"You're wrong," Lizzie said, her feeble attempt to scare him. She knew Steve would look for her. She knew he would probably be tearing down the city. The only thing which worried her was the fact that he wouldn't come back to look in the apartment block. He'd been there already. He would discount it. He would discount where she was.

"You keep thinking that, honey," Geoff implored her, ruffling her hair as he walked past her and grabbed his wallet from the coffee table he had pushed against the wall. "Now, I'm going out. I'm hungry and I heard the supermarket is open down the road...although I imagine I won't need money. Everyone seems to be thieving in this day and age. Stay here and be good."

"Well where am I going to go?" Lizzie snapped at him and he chuckled, knowing that she wasn't going anywhere whilst the power was down and she was firmly fastened to a chair.

"Don't make a mess," he demanded from her and zipped his jacket up before leaving and slamming the door. Lizzie listened on as he locked it and her heart sunk slightly as she looked around, wondering what there would be to help her make an escape.

...

Steve moved into Lizzie's apartment, the emptiness of it taking him by surprise. The apartment had been ransacked, sofas destroyed and coffee tables turned over along with the smashed photo frame of her holding her college diploma, dressed in her gown and cap. He skimmed his finger over her pale face and dirty blonde hair, looking onto her beaming face.

She had been so full of hope and determination back then, believing she could be the next big thing in the White House. Politics was the only things she had felt passionately about and it had never worked out.

Steve looked around the room, folding the picture up of her and sliding it into the small hidden pocket of his suit, making sure it was nicely tucked away.

He gulped once and moved from the apartment, his ear suddenly buzzing before a large squeak moved into it. Steve mumbled under his breath, moving into his ear and pulling out the earpiece which he wore. He supposed he had never taken it out since the flight back. He had hardly noticed its presence in his ear.

"Steve?" a voice called from it and he looked at it for a second. "Captain, are you there?"

"Yeah," Steve said, placing it back into his ear and looking around as some looked at him whilst he stood on the sidewalk. "What is it, Dr Banner?"

"Well, S.H.I.E.L.D. have this emergency power thing which I found out about...anyway...I couldn't track your girl's cell because it is down along with the network...but face recognition is working...so I typed in this Geoff's guys name and it had an instant match."

"Where?" Steve snapped quickly.

"His apartment block. He was leaving it."

Steve remained silent for a moment, thinking back as Banner continued to speak in his ear.

"Steve? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Steve confirmed to him. "I went there...he wasn't there...are you sure it's right?"

"I'm sure," Banner spoke, checking again on his computer. "It was him. He was there, Steve."

Steve quickly pushed his body down the sidewalk, running back to where he had just left as he thought about Elizabeth. He had searched there. He had been there and found nothing.

"I'm on my way," Steve said, dismissing Banner as he ran to another glimpse of hope.

...

A/N: Oohh, crazy stuff. I would like to thank miller330, shadow-dog18, tradingtruthsforlies and Guest for reviewing!

Let me know what you think, guys!


	28. Chapter 28

"Banner?" Steve said into his earpiece as he wandered down the apartment block, moving through the corridors of destruction but catching no glimpse of any life form in it. He could not help but think that the Doctor had his information wrong.

"Yeah?" Banner spoke down his computer, still watching Loki in his cell as he spoke to Steve. He had taken a break from his work, deciding that a drink of coffee was in order if he was to stay awake. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm back at the apartment block and I haven't seen anything. There is no sign of life here whatsoever." Steve complained as he came to his own apartment door and saw that it was firmly locked and he wondered where the key was for his home. He assumed he had lost it.

He was drawn from his thoughts when he heard the sigh come from Banner's lips before a tut noise.

"I'm sure it was him. Most of the technology here isn't working but the ones which do work are up to date and on the mark. Have you looked in every room of the apartment?"

"There are about forty apartments in here and most of them have been ransacked. I'm checking the ones which haven't been."

"I'll check on the computer again," Banner grumbled to himself, typing in buttons before another recognition came up and he froze before making sure he was certain of what he had just seen.

"Steve! I've had a match! He's on the move...he's on the move...but I don't know where to...I assume it is back to the apartment."

"Got it," Steve said as he heard a noise echo through the apartment block like the slamming of doors. Steve moved into the stairwell, pressing his hand onto his ear and talking in a whisper back to Banner. "I think he's back."

Steve slowly slid down one flight of steps to the middle landing, watching down below the banisters for the sound of movement. He dropped down on the steps, crouching as footsteps echoed on the way up and Steve held his breath, not making a sound and loitering in the shadows.

A whistle echoed up the stairwell and Steve clenched his hands into fists, standing up again as the footsteps disappeared from the concrete steps and down to the first floor hallway. He rushed down, pressing his body against the wall and turning his head sideways to stare at the figure.

His blood boiled when he was sure of whom it was entering the apartment. Steve restrained himself from running after him then and there, knowing that he had to be silent when he struck.

The door slammed shut and Steve moved, his footsteps as light as a feather as he moved down the hallway and looked onto the door which Geoff had just gone into. Shaking his head and gritting his teeth he was angered to see he had gone into the apartment next door to the one he owned.

Steve took a moment to think, contemplating just barging down the door and taking Geoff by the scruff of his neck, slamming him against the wall and hurting him until Steve felt enough was enough.

Of course, he knew he would not do that. He was Captain America and that way of thinking was not instilled into him whatsoever. He did not function that way, regardless of how much he wanted to sometimes.

Steve took a deep breath before he raised his foot and gave the door a swift kick, the super soldier in him coming out as it moved with ease. It slammed against the wall behind and a loud snap echoed throughout the room as Steve looked inside, rushing in without giving a moment of hesitation.

His eyes finally settled upon the sight which he had longed to see ever since he had heard she had gone missing. He watched for a moment as she thrashed against the ropes, murmuring profusely from behind the gag which covered her mouth and Steve sighed in relief.

Elizabeth kept on nodding her head in his direction to where he was loitering against the wall, a heavy lamp held in his hand as Steve finally turned around, the message she was portraying finally sinking into his skull.

"Bad luck, Cap." Geoff chuckled, raising the lamp and hitting Steve over the head before he had the chance to register what was happening. The lamp struck the Captain across the head, knocking him to the floor whilst Elizabeth screamed out loud, grotty teas falling down her cheek as she saw him splay across the floor. "He should have been a bit quieter whilst waiting at the door."

Geoff threw the lamp down, looking at the star spangled suit which he wore and he chuckled, slamming the door shut once again.

"Funny," Geoff commented. "He isn't the hero which everyone made him out to be, is he, Liz? Pretty pathetic."

Elizabeth felt her head pound as she glared at Geoff and then looked back to Steve, shuffling her feet and moving on the chair until it toppled over, leaving her in a heap on the ground. She looked onto his pale face as Geoff laughed once, leaving her on the floor as he grabbed the rope from the coffee table and dragged the Cap to the spare armchair.

"Sad," Geoff said. "His love for you was something which blinded him. Even a great superhero is weak."

"I suppose the Norse God would be slightly impressed," Geoff mumbled, tying Steve to the armchair securely. Lizzie shook her head, knowing that Geoff was in trouble once Steve came around.

Super Strength.

Did he honestly believe that ropes would constrain him? The idea was just ridiculous.

"Funny, Elizabeth," Geoff said and he stood up, looking at Steve as the same idea cross his mind what had just crossed hers. He pushed her back up on the chair and she smirked at the thought of Steve awakening and hurting Geoff.

"I know he will wake soon...and so...until then...I suppose we will just have to move out...won't we?"

He pulled the gag down on her mouth and Lizzie instantly began to scream, hoping that Steve would hear her. Hoping that Steve would wake and save her.

"No! Steve! Steve, wake up! Please, wake up! Steve! Steve!" Lizzie yelled at him, her pleads coming out thick and fast whilst Geoff watched her and he untied her from the chair, keep her wrists bound as he pulled her to her feet. She sobbed and kept on calling for Steve to hear her, her voice begging.

"Shut up," Geoff hissed, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her violently. "He can't hear you."

"Get off of me," Lizzie said, bringing her clasped hands upwards and hitting at him with brute force until he pushed her away, bringing his fist upwards and making contact with her jaw. Lizzie yelped out in pain, losing her balance and falling downwards. She hit her head against the floor and tried to scramble up. She didn't need to for he grabbed onto her hair and pulled her to her feet.

"Now, I suggest you be quiet, Elizabeth. I do not want to hurt you anymore," Geoff promised her, bringing her head to rest against his shoulder as he continued pulling on her hair, arching her back against him as his free arm wrapped around her waist, stopping her arms from moving.

"Steve! Please...Steve...wake up...please...I love you, Steve! Please!"

"Keep screaming, he can't hear you," Geoff promised her. "He's out of it and not waking up. Now come on, Elizabeth."

"No!" Lizzie said as he grabbed her arm, dragging her from the room. "What have you done to him? If you've...if you've..."

"If I've what?" Geoff wondered about her empty threat. "If I've accidentally killed America's superhero? Then that's irrelevant, Elizabeth. No one can save the world now...do you not see?"

"I'll kill you," Lizzie spat, refusing to move and glaring at him whilst he chuckled at her. "I mean it!"

"Yeah, okay," he shrugged off, forcing her to walk once again, moving to rest his mouth next to her lips. "You don't have any hope now, Lizzie. It's gone."


	29. Chapter 29

"And so this is your plan?" Lizzie snapped as soon as Geoff had thrown her to the floor. She felt her bum land on the cold concrete and she whimpered once in pain as he looked at the door to the room. Elizabeth looked around and back to the stairs which led up to the foyer of the apartment block.

"You're going to keep me down in the basement?" she checked with him. "You're going to keep me in the basement with Steve two floors above? Are you stupid or naive?"

"Do not talk to me like that," he demanded from her and she rolled her eyes at him, tired of his superior attitude. She was tired of the scenario which she found herself in and she wanted to do nothing more than knock the smirk from his face.

"I will talk to you how I want," Lizzie replied. "How do you think he found you in the first place? If he found you once then he will find you again."

"That's providing he wakes up," Geoff said in a strained voice as he pushed against the door, finally wedging it open and revealing a small office. The only light came from the torch which Geoff had found in the drawer from the cabinet in the basement. Lizzie looked into the room as he grabbed her by the elbow, hauling her to her feet and dragging her to the small room.

"He will wake up," she promised him. "He is Captain America. He will wake up and he will come and find me. I know it."

"I don't really share your enthusiasm, honey," Geoff spoke, depositing her on the floor once again. She groaned in pain, her body feeling broken and tired whilst she remained seated and Geoff shut the door, searching for more lights for the room. The darkness was enough to make Lizzie cringe, her eyes frantically looking around.

"Now, if your Captain does wake up then we will go back up to an apartment and I shall have you once again, sweetie. If he doesn't...well...I will wait for a couple of hours. His life matters not to me. Your suffering is the thing which does."

"You're sick," Lizzie informed him. "Steve will wake up. I know he will. I know he will come for me."

"You were never this optimistic when we were dating," Geoff told her, still searching for any other source of light. He finally found another torch in the drawer to the desk; flicking the switch he rested it on top of the wood and took a seat in the swivel chair behind the desk.

"I suppose there is no optimism when dating you," Lizzie told him. "If anything there is only a chance for self pity."

"You're still a first class bitch though," Geoff spoke. "It's odd really. I always thought that Captain America would go for someone with a bit more class. America's sweetheart to go with his image. Someone polite and charming. Instead he picked some damaged goods to love. A woman who has never loved before and does not know what love it."

"I know what love it when I am with Steve," Lizzie promised him. "I know what love is now. It is something which I had never been sure of when I had been with you or anyone else."

"Romantic," Geoff told her. "But will he want you when he sees you after I am done with you? He surely knows how damaged you are now...but when I'm finished...even he may be revolted by you. And if he does still want you, well, who is to say that you will want him? Every time he touches you, you will be reminded of me. It won't be him with you. It will be me, Elizabeth. That's what I want to do to you."

"You son of a bitch," she snapped out at him. "I won't let you! I won't let you anywhere near me!"

"You keep thinking that," he told her simply. "I'm going to go and check on lover boy. See if I finished him off. All this talk of tormenting you has made me impatient."

Geoff quickly grabbed the gag which he had been using and wrapped it around her mouth as she protested unsuccessfully. He turned on his heel and took the flashlights, turning them off and leaving Lizzie in the darkness of the concrete room.

He took the steps two at a time, a spring in his step as he moved through the corridor. He knew the man would not be awake yet, even if he was dead. He had not heard movement from anywhere and he was sure the blow to his head had been enough to knock him out for a while.

He opened the apartment door, his eyes darting to the chair and then he felt his orbs widening as he saw it.

"You know, you should never hurt a superhero."

Geoff turned on his heel and saw the man in the star spangled suit stood before him. Steve instantly reacted before Geoff had his chance to, grabbing the man by his shirt collar and turning him round, slamming him against the wall,

"Where is she?" Steve spat at him and he chuckled. Steve's hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him from the ground, his toes trying to reach for the solid floor. Steve looked at him, something changing in his blue eyes as rage took hold of him. His blood boiled and his grip on his neck tightened. "Where is she?" he raged again.

Geoff turned red, quickly breathing for air as Steve moved him from the wall, throwing him to the floor. He was no good dead.

On the ground he soothed his throat with his fingers, coughing out as Steve stood over him, his boot covered foot resting on his chest, restricting him from moving anywhere.

"Where is she?" Steve snapped again, dried blood sticking to his face as he looked down at him. "Tell me where she is or I will kill you without a moment of hesitation."

"You won't," Geoff spat out. "You do not know how to kill me. Revenge is not something which is drilled into you."

"No, it is not," Steve confirmed for him. "But I have killed before and I will kill again if it means getting her back and keeping her safe from monsters like you. You do not know who you are dealing with."

"She is broken," Geoff chuckled. "Do you think you can mend her? Do you honestly think you have hope in fixing the cynical bitch?"

"Do not talk about her," Steve demanded. "Now where is she or I swear to God that I will make your death slow and painful."

"She is in the basement," Geoff spat out as soon as he felt Steve's foot on his throat, draining the air from him. Steve nodded once and released Geoff.

"If you are lying to me..." Steve left the threat empty and then shook his head. "In fact...I think this is a better option."

"What?" Geoff wondered but didn't get a chance to say anything else as Steve picked him up from the floor and flung him against the wall, knocking him out cold.

He nodded once, tempted to just finish him off. He wanted nothing more than that. But he didn't. He left him in the apartment and rushed down the steps until he came to the door to the basement. He pushed it open, walking into a small office type area which was completely empty. He grunted to himself, fresh anger pulsing through him before he saw another door.

Steve moved in the darkness, feeling his way around as he heard muffled grunts.

"Lizzie?" Steve whispered her name and followed the sound of her voice. He dropped to his knees before her, his hand outstretched as he felt her neck with his hand and drew it up to her cheek, feeling the gag on her mouth. He pulled it down and her breath ticked his cheek.

"Steve," she sobbed loudly. "Oh God...Steve...you're here...you're alive..."

"I am," he told her. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she mumbled. "Can we get out the dark? Please?" she begged and he agreed. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pushing his other hand under her knees and bringing her up and off of the ground, cradling her against his chest.

"Where is he?" Lizzie worried as he left the room and finally came back to the foyer and the light of day through the windows.

"He's knocked out in the apartment." Steve said. He set Lizzie down on the top step to the basement, reaching behind her and untying the ropes from her wrists. "He's not going to get you know."

"I thought...oh God...Steve...I thought he had hurt you...I thought he had..."

"Shush now," Steve urged her gently, taking her wrists into his hands, seeing the indentations from the ropes. His long fingers moved across the bumps in her skin in an attempt to soothe them. "I'm safe and I have you. I won't let anything happen to you. You have my word."

"I know," she whispered in a small sob and rubbed her eyes, Steve's hands still around her wrists. "I wasn't this bad when he held me captive. The shock is just getting to me."

"It's okay," Steve promised. "Lizzie, it's okay. I'm here now."

"I'm fine," she promised him, her fingers moving to the dried blood on his face. "Are you?"

"Yes, I am," he said, kissing her on the cheek quickly. "If I had sense then I would go and kill him. I would go up there and make him suffer like he did to you."

"No," Lizzie said as Steve began to move. "You don't torture people, Steve. Do not sink to his level. Do not do that. Leave him. Leave him alone and let us go...please...I want nothing more than to kill him, believe me. It would not achieve anything. Please, just come with me."

Steve looked onto her pleading face as she stood up, her ankle hurting due to the amount of pushing around which she had been subjected to.

"Please, Steve," she begged him and he nodded once, standing up and taking hold of her hand. He began to walk forwards, quickly noting how she was hobbling alongside of him before he stood still.

"Come here," he whispered and she didn't even bother arguing with him as she wrapped her arm across his broad shoulders and he carried her out the door and back into the darkness.

Steve may have won one war, but he was just about to face another.


	30. Chapter 30

"Just lie back," Steve demanded from Lizzie as she sat up on the leather sofa. He was knelt on the floor, his hands holding onto a wet cloth as he looked at her and she shook her head.

"I'm fine," she promised Steve. "I can clear up my own cuts. Besides, they're mainly just bruises."

"Lizzie," Steve spoke, his voice full of boredom as he listened to her. The quizzical look which he gave her told her just to give into him. She mumbled to herself but did as he had asked, resting her body on the plush sofa in Stark's apartment, looking at the ceiling before she felt his warm hand on her cheek.

"I mean, he did more damage to you than he did to me," she spoke to him again, the silence becoming too much as his thumb moved up and down, the rhythmic motion soothing her yet causing her to hyperventilate. "He just tied me to a chair and hit me a couple of times."

"He pushed you around, Liz," Steve reprehended and Lizzie rolled her eyes as the cold cloth moved down her throat, wiping away the dirty and dried blood which had formed there. "He did things to a woman which no man should ever do."

"Well, I mean, Geoff isn't really a man. He's just a being. Someone who exists," Lizzie said, garbling on as she closed her eyes for a second, relief taking a hold of her as Steve's capable hands continued their roaming of her face. "And I am fine. Honestly."

"I will be the judge of that," Steve assured her which earned him another eye roll. "You already have a sprained ankle."

"Nothing is broken," she told him. "I don't hurt that much. I'm just sore and tired, that's all. Anyway, shouldn't you be back at the base?"

"I'm not going back," Steve told her. "Lizzie, I'm not going anywhere without you."

"What?" she snapped, sitting up once again, wincing as she grabbed onto her waist and her breath left her body. Steve instantly jumped up, bending at the waist and resting a hand on top of her, his other hand moving onto her back.

"Lizzie, where does it hurt?" he asked her and she wheezed again. Steve felt the jagged movement of her body as she breathed in and then out again. Closing his eyes for a moment he suspected a possible bruised rib was the answer to her pain.

"Oh God," Lizzie complained loudly. "It hurts to sit up and breathe."

"Okay, okay," Steve mumbled; his arms firmly but gently lowering her to lie back down on the sofa. She did so and closed her eyes. Steve watched her; the pain etched all over her face, the longing to be put out of her misery was there. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say what would make it all better.

"Well, Geoff was true to his word," Lizzie mumbled in a groan. "He really did mess me up. Funny, I guess I never hurt this much when I was yelling at him."

"That's because of the adrenaline in your body," he assured her, his voice tender and soft. Lizzie rolled her head to the side, her eyes looking into his blue ones as his hand held the cloth to the side of her forehead.

"I never really thanked you," she whispered, her voice soft and almost mute. "You came for me."

"You have nothing to thank me for," Steve said quickly, shaking his head sternly at her. "Lizzie, you have nothing whatsoever to thank me for. You are the only thing which I care about at this moment in time. You're the only one who I want to see get better."

"That's not true," she mumbled back, managing to move her free hand to stroke his knotted blonde hair from his forehead and off of his face. "You care for the people out there, Steve. You're Captain America. You care for them."

"Not as much as I care for you," Steve told her. "We don't know what's happening out there. We have no idea what is going on. We've all left...Tony is with Pepper...Thor has gone to Jane...Dr. Banner is tired beyond belief."

"Don't you see?" Lizzie spoke, coughing once and then cringing at the pain from her ribs. She gasped for breath and slowly inhaled. "This is what he wants, Steve. This is what Loki wants. He wants you to be apart. You need to come back together if you want to win."

"It doesn't work like that anymore, Lizzie," he said to her, soothingly holding a strand of hair in his hand, admiring the way it caught the light as he twirled the dirt blonde cord around his finger. "Loki will just find a way to find you again. He will just find a way to hurt the ones who we care about. He will do that regardless of what happens. I am not leaving you."

"Then I will come with you," Lizzie said to him. "Do you think that you cannot do anything? Honestly?"

"I don't know what to think," Steve said to her. "I just know that I can't leave you. I can't let anyone else hurt you."

"I love you, Steve," Lizzie whispered. "But the city...it needs to be saved...as much as I want to keep you here for my own...I know that I can't. I know that you will do something."

"I don't know what to do," Steve complained, dropping her hair behind her head and pushing the other blonde locks to fall with it whilst she watched him through her closing eyelids. "We don't know what is happening and Loki won't tell us anything. Until...until something does happen...then I'm staying with you. I'm staying with you and making sure nothing happens."

"Nothing will happen," she promised him. "I will stay here. To be honest, I'm surprised Stark let me up here when I'm just covered in filth."

"He made me promise to pay for the cleaning bill for his sofa," Steve said and smiled softly and Lizzie chuckled, trying to ignore the pain in her ribs. "He wouldn't be Stark if there wasn't some condition."

"No," she agreed with him. "I suppose not."

"Lizzie," Steve said, his eyes travelling down to her stomach which was heaving, clearly causing her pain. "I don't want to be forward...and I know it isn't right for me to ask...but can I unbutton your shirt? I want to check your ribs. I wouldn't ask unless I had to and I apologise if-"

"-Steve," Lizzie cut him off. "I don't care. This is the modern world. It doesn't matter."

"Okay," Steve said and shuffled on his knees, his hands steadily moving onto the buttons of her white shirt.

"You don't need to blush," Lizzie said to him, knowing instantly that his cheeks had turned a tinge of red. "It is kind of cute though."

"Hm," Steve simply grunted, stopping his tugging at her buttons as soon as he saw the bruise formed on her ribs. He looked onto the paleness of her stomach before noting the purple coloured bruise. He placed a slim finger on top of the different coloured patched skin and she inhaled sharply as he pressed down and she snapped out in pain.

"Are you trying to injure me further?" she complained to him and he shook his head quickly.

"I'm trying to see if the rib is broken. It doesn't appear to be broken though. Sorry if I hurt you."

"It's fine," she promised, resting her head back down on the sofa. "I'm just a bit wound up."

"You need to rest, Lizzie." He implored her, buttoning her shirt again, his hands tickling against her stomach and he was surprised how soft it was to his touch.

"I will," she promised him. "I can barely move anyway."

"Captain!"

Stark's voice echoed through the living area as he moved over to where Steve was knelt, his hands resting on Lizzie's arm.

"What is it, Stark?" Steve wondered.

"Come out of this basement and look," Stark urged him. "The darkness is lifting."

"What?" Lizzie was the one to ask, sitting up quickly and regretting it immediately. Steve moved to sit behind her, holding onto one of her hands tightly as she leant back against him, her head resting on his shoulder. Stark nodded to confirm what he had just said as Pepper entered the room.

"It's true," she said. "He isn't lying."

"Why would I lie about it?" Stark wondered from her, a brow arching in her direction. "It's a pointless thing to lie about, Pepper. Honestly. I've had better lies other than lifting darkness."

"There has to be some kind of plot," Steve interrupted Tony before he went into a rant. "Loki...there has to be something about this...he can't have just given up."

"I was thinking that too. I've told Fury that and he's going to speak to Loki."

"Because that has worked in the past," Lizzie was the one to speak and Stark smirked and Steve frowned. The billionaire pointed at her and then looked to Steve.

"She's far too cynical for you. We need to double date sometime. That is an experience I would pay to have," he told them and they rolled their eyes.

"Do we need to go in to base?" Steve wondered. "I'm not leaving Lizzie by herself."

"And I'm not leaving Pepper," Stark spoke in all seriousness. "We're not going in. Thor's come back with Jane and he's going to speak to Loki. He is his brother. Maybe some miracle can happen and he'll open up and spill his deepest secrets and desires or whatever else in that mad head of his."

"We can only hope," Steve mumbled in agreement.

...

A/N: So much more to come. Loki would not leave it there, would he? Anyway, thank you to Marmarloves1D, shadow-dog18, stinkysox and Lollypops101 for reviewing!

And to everyone who is following this, thank you! One minute for a comment! Pretty please?


	31. Chapter 31

"I don't know what to do," Lizzie complained as she sat up on the sofa, her hand permanently stuck on her ribs, holding them to see where the source of the pain was coming from. She seemed to believe that if she held onto them then they would stop hurting. Steve was pacing in front of her, his hand on his chin and his eyes looking in front of him as he wondered what Loki was playing at. There had to be something else. There had to be something more and he knew that.

"Brenda...I haven't spoken to her since this happened, Steve. I haven't even been to see her and I feel terrible." Lizzie complained. Steve looked at her and shook his head as she remained pale, intent on blaming herself for not visiting the woman who had been her only friend during the time she had been in New York. "I've been so selfish."

"You've been nothing of the sort," Steve promised her. "Brenda is an independent woman. She will have hid away, waiting for safety. She would not want you out and risking your life for her."

"I suppose," Lizzie mumbled vaguely. "My parents are probably going mad with worry."

"That is possible," Steve admitted. He had met her parents and he was not that fond of them. But, they were her parents regardless of what she felt and what he thought about them. They were the ones who had raised her and turned her into the fine young woman which she was that day. "You should possibly use your Blueberry to call them."

"BlackBerry," Lizzie corrected him without a moment of hesitation. "And I lost it. I've lost everything I had...I mean...I'm borrowing Pepper's clothes and they're not the right fit. You're the only thing which I can't lose."

"You're not going to," Steve promised her, sitting on the edge of the sofa and cradling her free hand in both of his large ones, his eyes looking at her as she looked away from him, her own orbs watering at the thought of Steve going back onto the streets. "I'm not going anyway, Lizzie."

"You are," she choked out, the lump in her throat sticking. "You aren't going to sit here and wait whilst Loki makes his next move, Steve. I know you."

"We don't know what the next move is," Steve shook his head at her. "We can only wait and play the guessing game, Lizzie. The darkness is going, maybe it is a sign?"

"Maybe and maybe not," Lizzie spoke back. "I know that I'm a pessimist, Steve. I don't think this is the end. I honestly don't. And when something happens...when Loki does something...you'll go...you'll go and I don't know if I can handle the sitting and waiting. I've done it too many times already. I...when Geoff hit you...I didn't know...Jesus, Steve...I didn't know..."

"Sh, Lizzie," Steve said, his large palm moving onto her cheek as she grabbed onto his wrist, holding it tightly and pushing her cheek further into his palm, her eyes still watering as Steve looked at her. He knew she was scared. He just didn't know she was that scared. He didn't realise how much she had come to rely on him and the realisation dawned upon him and scared him. Never had he had someone this upset over him...Peggy had been...she had been distraught...he knew that. But she had moved on. She was his past and Lizzie was his present.

"Oh God, what is happening to me?" Lizzie sobbed out, a gurgle coming through her lips as the noise echoed around her. "I'm sorry, Steve. You don't need this...you don't need me being such a baby."

"You need not apologise," Steve promised her. "It is not your fault, Elizabeth...you never need to apologise to me."

"What about when I'm wrong?" Lizzie worried, listening to him, choking as Steve smirked at her, tucking her greasy hair behind her ear.

"Even when you're wrong, I doubt you would apologise," he told her and she rolled her eyes at hearing him, pushing herself closer to him and resting by his side. He delicately placed an arm around her shoulders, cradling her by his side. She stroked a hand over her ribs with the tips of her fingers. "Keeping you safe is only my main concern."

"It is also my concern," Lizzie muttered back to him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. He continued to smile at her, urging her to stay strong for him. He did not want for her to cry. He hated seeing her in such a state. "I want to keep you safe; Steve and I know that I really can't do that. All I can do is offer you support and be there for you. I can't help but think that really isn't enough."

"Liz," Steve whispered her name in his deep voice, his lips resting on top of her matted hair. "Don't get yourself worked up about this. Please, try to keep calm."

"Easier said than done," she snorted loudly and Steve's thumb roamed up and down her shoulder, his feeble attempt to calm her not working in the slightest.

"Fury has called us in," Stark's voice suddenly boomed as he entered the living area in his basement. Steve untangled himself from Lizzie, giving her hand one final squeeze as the Cap shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere without Liz," he informed Stark who sighed, running a hand across his forehead but he nodded in agreement with what Steve was saying to him.

"And Pepper is coming with us. Loki hasn't said anything. He's kept quiet. Thor can't get him to open up. All that we know so far is that this isn't the end."

"So why do we have to go in?" Steve wondered, his brows pushing together halfway up his forehead as Tony looked at Lizzie and then back to the Cap and he shrugged again.

"He misses our company, obviously," Stark said sarcastically. "Get ready. He's sending a car in fifteen minutes."

...

Lizzie finished with Pepper's dry shampoo and shook her head. Her dark blonde hair looked anything but better than what it had done. She grunted at her reflection in the mirror as Steve sat on the edge of the bathtub in the bathroom as Lizzie stood, one hand gripping onto the side of the basin and her other rubbing her hair.

"Don't overdo it," he warned her. He'd bandaged her ribs up tightly, telling her that time would allow them to heal. She had wheezed and winced as she tried to make herself look presentable for the outside world, not really caring to go into it if she had to be completely honest.

"I'm fine," she lied to him. "Besides, if you can't get Loki to talk then I'll have a go."

"Lizzie," Steve sighed her name. "Please, don't get angry. Let me do that."

"He's the one who told Geoff where I was," Lizzie barked back, looking at Steve through the mirror before she splashed cold water onto her face, almost cringing at the sight of her natural complexion. Her mother would have told her that she looked unhealthy and she couldn't help but agree with that diagnosis.

"And I shall be the one to deal with him," Steve promised her.

"Hm," Lizzie simply grunted in response to the Captain. She turned around and tucked Pepper's white blouse into the grey trousers she had allowed her to borrow and Steve stood up.

"Are you ready?" he asked her and she nodded. He moved to her side, his arm gently snaking around her waist as he helped her to walk through the corridors of Stark's basement until they were once again in the outside world.

...

"You would never have thought we'd spent all that time in darkness," Lizzie commented as she sat next to Steve, her eyes looking out of the window and onto the streets with her narrowed gaze. Steve followed her stare and watched as people cleared up wreckage once again, assuming that everything was fine once more. He wished they were right. He longed for them to be. But, deep down, he knew that wasn't the case.

"New York is the city that never sleeps," Steve told her and she snorted, looking back to him and he shrugged at her arched brow. "They don't know what's happening and neither do we."

"They haven't had an explanation for any of this," Lizzie whispered, well aware that Stark and Pepper were in front of them with an agent from S.H.I.E.L.D. "I watched the news everyday and no one knew what was happening, Steve. Do you not think that most of them will be concerned over that fact?"

"Probably," Steve agreed with her meekly. "We simply have to be patient, Liz."

Lizzie nodded at him, taking hold of his hand as she watched out of the window, wondering where the base was. She wasn't that surprised to see that it was underground, leading off from an abandoned factory site which was guarded by two men. They allowed the car through without another word as Lizzie took a glance at Steve. His jaw was set in its stubborn manner which only happened when he was annoyed and his eyes were completely focused on the task at hand.

The car slowed slowly, finally stopping in a parking lot. Steve pushed the door open, offering Lizzie his hand. She took it willingly before being hounded by the agent who had been driving. He carried a clipboard in his hand and a pen in another as he began to walk by the side of them.

"Miss Meyer," he spoke. "We need you to sign this contract before you go in."

"Why?" she wondered and Steve rolled his eyes.

"Do you not think that this can wait?" he wondered, his voice curter than normal. "She isn't going to tell anyone anything about this. She already knows."

"The non-disclosure agreement is a necessity, sir," the man informed Steve. "Director Fury ordered it himself."

"And it is just an NDA?" Lizzie checked, stopping her walk and looking at him. He nodded at her and she took the clipboard from him, scrawling her name onto the dotted line and then handing it back to the man.

"Thank you, ma'am." He said and moved off to stand beside Pepper and Stark who were waiting at an elevator. Steve continued his scowl but remained silent, standing with Lizzie and the rest of them in the elevator. Pepper offered the waitress a small and encouraging smile as Lizzie remained emotionless. The doors opened and a hype of activity instantly began.

The noise whirling around came from different sources. People were talking and moving in different directions down the cold concrete corridor. Lizzie struggled to keep up as she looked around, a path being cleared down the middle for the two of the Avengers before they turned off.

Lizzie felt her jaw drop as she saw the lab she was suddenly stood in. Everything was technical and complex and she couldn't help but worry at what she was seeing.

"Has he said anything yet?"

"My brother is mute."

Lizzie had to keep control over her mouth, urging it not to gape as her eyes turned onto the God in the corner. She failed to believe how big and muscular he was as his eyes remained on the screen showing his brother. She compared the God to Steve, wondering if it was possible for anyone to be larger than the Cap.

"He muttered something earlier," a woman spoke as she leant against the desk with a man who was holding his bow and arrow, tenderly stroking it. "Something about the Other. He hasn't said anything else."

"So why are we here?" Stark wondered, confidently wandering around and patting Banner on the back, urging him silently to stay with them.

"Fury wanted us all here," the woman said again and Lizzie took in the cat suit which covered her body and felt slightly insignificant to her. "He's got some kind of plan. We've each tried to talk to him...he's not opening up to us...he wondered if some new faces may help."

"New faces?" Steve wondered and Stark chuckled once, shaking his head as he looked at Lizzie, pointing at the small blonde as she remained ignorant.

"He wants Loki to see the victim of his doing," Stark said, shaking his head whilst walking through the room, his hands behind his back. Lizzie's eyes widened as everyone looked at her and she shrugged gently. She didn't mind.

"What would that achieve?" The Cap wondered.

"Fury is desperate," Stark said to Steve. "He thinks that Loki might speak if he sees a vulnerable human. He might boast. He might make some kind of move."

"My brother is not that naive," Thor informed them.

"He managed to get caught," Tony responded dryly. "Again, may I add. It might work. We need to try."

"What if she doesn't want to?" Steve asked, standing in front of her and turning defensive. Lizzie raised her hand onto his arm and shook her head.

"I'll do it," she whispered gently. "Steve, I'll be fine. He's in a cage, isn't he?"

"Yes, my lady," Thor said and Lizzie did a double take. She thought being called ma'am was too much and now there was someone addressing her even more formally.

"I don't like it," Steve told her and Lizzie shrugged before wincing at the movement. "I don't like it one little bit."

"You said it yourself that this wasn't the end, Steve. I want to help if I can," she promised him. Everyone remained silent whilst Steve pursed his lips but took hold of her again, walking back down the corridor with her.

"If he does anything-"

"-I'll scream for help," she promised him. "Besides, security is pretty tight, isn't it?"

"There will be guards outside of his room. They'll be watching on the cameras and I will be within screaming distance," he promised her as he nodded at the guards who opened the door. Steve released Lizzie and she looked up to him as he sternly glanced at her. "I'll be right here."

"Okay," she mumbled in response and the automatic doors shut. She looked in the room, seeing the glass cage situated right at the back of the concrete block, a chair placed in front of it. She saw him with his back to her as she walked through the room.

"My, my," he suddenly said, his voice as soft as velvet to her ears. She cringed as she listened to him. "Fury must be desperate to call on such a pitiful creature."

"I'm not the one in a cage," Lizzie mumbled, hobbling to the chair and finally collapsing into it. She tossed her hair over her shoulder as he slowly turned to face her, a small and sly grin forming on his lips. He stood with his feet parted, his chin held high and the look of superiority held on his face.

"I see your spirit hasn't been damaged," he told her, the grin never leaving his features. "Even if your body has been."

"I suppose I have you to thank for that," she mumbled to him and he chuckled, his teeth glowing in the light before he began to walk through the cage, his hands clasped behind his back. "Geoff didn't mean anything to you though, did he?. He's just another stupid human who you can throw away. Your plan was to distract Steve. Your plan was to try and ruin the Avengers again."

"Did it not work?" he wondered, outstretching his hands as Lizzie clenched her fingers into a fist. "They were scattered once again. It was an excellent plan."

"And what is your plan now?" Lizzie asked him, sitting up straight in the chair whilst Loki looked up to the ceiling, knowing what was out there. "No offence, but getting caught is a pretty stupid plan if you're going to leave it there."

"You naive girl," Loki drawled, his head shaking. "Do you honestly think that I will tell you anything which I have planned? I said nothing to those heroes. What makes you think that I will say anything to you?"

"Nothing," Lizzie assured him. "I'm just beginning to wonder if there even is a plan or if you're bluffing."

"You wouldn't be able to tell either way," Loki told her, his eyes moving back to look at her as she struggled to breathe. "You're talking to the God of Mischief."

"So there is a plan?" Lizzie checked with him and he laughed heartedly.

"Are all humans this stupid?" he asked her, a brow cocked on his forehead.

"Are all Gods this pompous?" she enquired and a side of his mouth cocked upwards. "Do you honestly believe that you will get away with anything? You're in a glass box. You're trapped and nothing is happening outside of this room. New York is rebuilding its life and you're not ruling them. You'll never rule them."

"You silly fool," Loki barked at her and Lizzie tried to hide her smirk at his sudden outburst. "Humans are destined to be ruled! I proved that before and he will help me to prove it again!"

"He?" Lizzie asked, picking up on his words. Loki blinked profusely whilst Lizzie leant as far forward as possible. "Who is he?"

"Time shall tell," Loki said cryptically. "Nothing I say will make a difference. It is too late for you and your precious race. You will kneel once again."

"We won't," Lizzie promised him. "We will never bow down to men like you."

"I am no man."

"No," Lizzie agreed. "I don't know what you are. You're no God either. You're washed up, Loki. You're trapped and if you do escape then they will find you. They did it once before and they can do it again."

"Your faith is misplaced." He told her. "Yet, you are impressive in the slightest. After everything you've been through...you've stood by him...the Super Soldier...being with him will cause you nothing but pain yet you continue to be by his side. You continue to put yourself through the agony. Is he worth it?"

"I don't need to answer to you," Lizzie hissed. "Steve is none of your concern."

"Not yet," Loki tactically spoke. "You are certainly an interesting human, I shall give you that."

"Flattery from you means nothing," Lizzie said, finally standing up as Loki laughed loudly, the sound running up Lizzie's spine as she listened to him.

"Be careful, Miss Meyer. I may have to steal you one more time."

...

A/N: A bit longer than normal but I hope you enjoyed it! Anyway, thanks to shadow-dog18, C'estLaMort, miller330 and stinkysox for reviewing chapter 30!

I thank anyone who is reading this and I really hope you're enjoying it!

Please, leave me a few words? Pretty please?


	32. Chapter 32

"He won't get anywhere near you, Lizzie," Steve said as soon as the door had opened again and he was stood before her, his hands on her shoulders and his head bent down to her height as his blue eyes stared into hers and she nodded. She turned her head over her shoulder, the sight of Loki stood in his cage and smiling enough to make her stomach churn.

"I know," Lizzie mumbled, still staring at the God of Mischief and wondering what he had planned for them.

Steve released his grip on her and craned his neck to see Loki in the glass prison, his hands balling into fists as he looked at him, wondering how satisfying it would be to do nothing more than simply punch the God in his face. Anger and protectiveness were emotions which Steve showed most of the time and usually not together.

"Come on," Lizzie said, grabbing Steve's hand as the door shut and Loki was removed from view. Steve simply ignored her, his eyes intent on the metal blocking him and Loki from each other. Lizzie sighed loudly to herself, her free hand running down her hair as she tugged on his hand. "Steve, there is nothing more that you can do. Going in there and beating him up won't help."

"How do you know-"

"-I know you," Lizzie interrupted his question and began to hobble forwards, towing Steve behind her. The Cap finally gave in and walked by her side, his arm still around her as she thought back to what Loki had said, trying to piece something together.

"Did you hear him mention something about a 'he'?" Lizzie checked with Steve and he nodded, his face scrunching up in confusion. "Do you think it means something? Well, I mean, obviously it does mean something but I don't know what. I think he has something planned and it is something bigger than what we've experienced."

"The attack by the chitauri was pretty big. I will almost be impressed if he can send something as big as that to us again," Steve admitted and Lizzie bit down on her tongue, wishing for him not to tempt fate. "We will be ready for it when it does happen."

"Maybe I should have stayed in there," Lizzie suddenly spoke up as they stood outside the door to the lab. People pushed past them in the corridor, no one seeming too intent on watching the Cap and her as they went about their business. "Maybe I should have pushed him further...I mean...I got something out of him, didn't I?"

"He did tell you that his intent was to the rule the humans again with the help of someone who we don't know...but...he wouldn't give anything away that would ruin him, Lizzie. You and I both know that. He told you only what he wanted to."

"I'm just saying that I could have perhaps gotten more out of him if I kept on winding him up. You know what he's like, Steve. He wants to have power and dominate and I contradicted him. I think that he would spill the beans eventually."

"Spill the beans?" Steve arched a brow at her and she shook her head, her hand swiping the air in a fluid motion.

"It's a figure of speech," she simply said back to him. "It means that he will just tell me what he's planning."

"He won't," Steve said adamantly. "He won't tell anyone. He's the God of Mischief. He's too intelligent to give away his plans to some simple mortal, Lizzie."

"A simple mortal, am I?" Lizzie wondered, a brow arched and Steve shook his head, clearly about to backtrack on his words.

"That's not what I meant about you," he contradicted. "I am just saying that you know his opinions on humans, Liz. There is nothing that you can do...and I won't let you back in there with him..."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and dropped Steve's hand as more agents passed beside them.

"His threat was meaningless," she assured him. "He was just trying to scare me."

"It is irrelevant," Steve snapped; his voice curter than normal. "Please stop this, Lizzie. We will find out sooner or later what is happening."

"Please stop what?" Lizzie wondered, her chin jutted out stubbornly. "Please stop trying to help us? Please stop trying to be useful?"

"Lizzie," Steve muttered her name, annoyance coming through in his voice. "You did help. It is not in your place to be helpful and risk your life."

"So you've said," Lizzie replied in a small voice. She didn't intend to argue with him. Arguing with Steve wouldn't bring anything good from the situation which they found themselves in and she knew that deep down. She knew fighting was pointless.

"Come on, Liz," Steve spoke, his finger curling under her chin and drawing her gaze onto his. "Do not dwell on anything that Loki said to you. There is no point."

She nodded at him slowly before he offered her his arm. She took hold of him, walking by his side back into the lab where the eyes turned onto them. Stark was the first one to react, smirking at Lizzie as he nodded thoughtfully in her direction.

"Good show in there, waitress," he commended her. "You really did get him pissed off."

"I didn't manage anything else though, did I?" Lizzie shot back at Stark and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's irrelevant. He wasn't going to talk anyway. But seeing him annoyed always brings an added bonus to our lifetime of chaos and wonder," Stark said quickly. He continued moving about the lab, conversing with Banner as Steve watched the pair of them.

Thor was still stood, his eyes never leaving his brother as he watched him on the computer screen. Steve slowly rested his hand onto the small of Lizzie's back in an encouraging manner before he moved off to join the green man and the man of iron. Lizzie remained where she was as Pepper came to join her, her arms folded across her midriff and her voice a small whisper as she leaned closer to Lizzie's ear.

"We heard your argument out there," she informed her and Lizzie rolled her eyes, stepping back and looking her in the eye before resting a hand onto her ribs, her breathing becoming jagged as she shook her head.

"It was a heated discussion," Lizzie said and Pepper smirked. She supposed her and Stark had had plenty of them then. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Steve's right. I can't do anything apart from snarl back at Loki which was quite enjoyable if I have to be honest."

Pepper allowed her lips to rise even further upon her cheeks as she listened to the young and spirited waitress speak.

"You gave as good as you could get in there. I was quite impressed to be honest. He never backed down and neither did you."

"Come on, Pepper," Lizzie urged her gently as Steve was clipped around the head by Stark, a glare coming onto his face at the motion whist Lizzie laughed to herself at the sight of him rubbing his head. "He may be a God but he is nothing special. We both know that."

"He may not be," Pepper agreed. "But whatever he has planned could be."

"I forget you've been frozen for years," Stark's voice was suddenly audible as Steve looked onto the monitors, wondering what they all did before Tony walked back to his side and nudged him in the arm. "Don't worry; you'll get the hang of this technical stuff one day. Maybe not today...there are other things which you have to sort out in the modern world. Chastity is one, I imagine."

"Stark!" Pepper barked at him, marching back to his side as Tony gave a rueful shrug, his eyes wide and playing innocent as he looked onto his girlfriend. "Leave him alone."

"I was just saying that everything will be alright," Stark defended himself.

"Sometimes the previous century holds so much more appeal than this one," Steve mumbled, looking back over to Lizzie as she moved to his side, her hand still on her ribs. Steve instantly noticed the pain which made its way across her features and he reached for the stool which Banner had previously been sat on at his computer.

"You need to rest," Steve instructed her, taking hold of her waist and lifting her effortlessly onto the stool, her feet dangling from the floor as he stood by her side.

"I'm fine," Lizzie said the old age lie back to him and he remained silent, his lips pursed as he ignored her comment, knowing that she was anything but fine. He wasn't oblivious. "Besides, you'll need someone to help you when you decide to go ahead and kill Stark."

"Heard that!" Tony called out. "I'd like to see him try. I can fly and he just has some star spangled suit."

"I wouldn't want to damage that perfect hair of yours, Stark," Steve replied quickly.

"And I wouldn't want to damage that beautiful face of yours."

Lizzie shook her head, unable to stop smiling at their bickering as her eyes rose and looked onto one of the multiple screens which showed Loki in his glass cage. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forwards, looking onto it with intent on her face. Steve noted her gaze and looked at the screen, arching a brow and cocking his head to the side as he saw it.

"What's wrong?" Steve wondered.

"The glass...Steve...I think there is a crack in it..." she informed him and Steve moved closer to the screen, shaking his head whilst Lizzie leaned on the edge of the stool.

"You're right," Steve said as the crack grew in the glass, running in a straight line down the middle of the cage. "He's escaping!" Steve shouted out as multiple cracks appeared in different directions, running horizontally down the glass. As the rest of them gathered around the screen, their mouths fell open and Thor took lead, storming from the room as the glass shattered into multiple pieces, falling onto the floor.

Alarms instantly began whirling in the air, their sound high pitched and painful to the ears. Lizzie jumped down from the stool, doubling over at the sudden contact of the ground and her feet. Steve instantly had his hand on her back as she straightened out and shook her head at him.

"No," she shouted above the noise. "Go! Steve! You need to stop him!"

"Stay here...Lizzie...I mean it...don't go anywhere." He urged her and she nodded in agreement as he rushed behind the rest of the team.

Pepper was instantly at her side, taking hold of her around the waist and leading her to the corner of the lab.

"We'll hide...they'll get him...they have to..." Pepper said in a feeble attempt to convince herself that she was right. Lizzie nodded as they neared the cupboard which Pepper flung open, looking inside and searching for a light switch.

"Interesting."

The two women froze at the sudden voice in the room. Lizzie felt her teeth ground together automatically whilst Pepper quickly whirled around.

"What do you want?" Pepper snapped at him and Loki turned back to the door, his wrist flicking as he locked the door to the lab. Pepper began to move forwards, intent on doing something instead of standing there and remaining vulnerable. Loki quickly moved his hand out again and she stopped mid stride, her body frozen and her eyes still intent on Loki.

"What have you done to her?" Lizzie snapped, moving over to Pepper and pressing her hand tentatively against her shoulder.

"Oh, nothing seriously long lasting," he promised Lizzie, looking around the lab. "Now, where is the tesseract? I believe it to be somewhere within the room."

"I don't know," Lizzie said, still looking at Pepper with worry. "They're not stupid enough to put it somewhere where you can easily get your clutches on it."

"No," Loki agreed. "They're not which makes a change indeed, doesn't it?"

"You're not going to get to it," Lizzie said and Loki allowed a large laugh to erupt from deep within his throat. How he loved the strength of this human. How he loved to watch her pick herself up only to be put back down. She honestly thought that she was a match for him.

"You do not even know where it is," Loki reminded her.

"Irrelevant," Lizzie hissed. "You are not walking out of here."

"And you're going to stop me?" he checked with her and she nodded once, gulping loudly as her hand balled into a fist by her side.

"If I have to," she promised him.

Loki looked contemplatively towards the ceiling for a moment and then nodded, the confident smirk never leaving his features as he moved forwards, coming closer to Lizzie. She stood, wondering what he had planned before he moved to the side, brushing past her. Lizzie reacted quickly, grabbing onto his arm with a tight grip.

Loki turned to look at her in shock at her bold movement but he did nothing as she drew her arm back, moving it quickly until her fist connected with his nose. The God of Mischief jumped back from her, his hand instantly moving to his nose whilst Lizzie watched him, a slight stinging feeling moving into her fist. She remained silent as Loki finally stopped his whimpering and his gaze found hers again, his eyes full of anger and annoyance.

"You made a grave mistake," he assured her. Lizzie gulped loudly but shook her head as he moved closer to her, detesting himself for being so close to a human as his hand moved to her throat, wrapping around it. He quickly moved her backwards, her feet tripping over themselves as she struggled to keep up with his pace. She reached her arms out, knocking containers and files from the shelves before her body hit the wall, her ribs burning with pain as she cried out.

"Not as brave as you thought, are you?" Loki taunted her, his voice full of spite as he dropped his hand from her throat, leaving her gasping for breath. He quickly moved his hand to her ribs, pressing on them where he knew the pain was.

Elizabeth yelled out loud, pain searing through her body as she tried to push him from her but he wouldn't move.

"You're really becoming a thorn in my side," he informed her. "You'll have you comeuppance soon enough...but not through your own life...no...I'll make sure to take your dear Captain's life with you watching helplessly."

"Get the hell off of me!" Lizzie yelled at him, his hand coming up to grab her chin, squeezing it roughly as he dragged her face to look at him. He commanded respect. He demanded it from someone beneath him.

"Only when he is gone will I allow you years of loneliness. You think this is hell? You have no idea."

He quickly released her as she gasped for breath, her body collapsing to the floor in a heap. She looked up to him as he smiled widely down at her, unable to control himself at the sight of her. This was all he had wanted. Power.

"You will soon learn that there is never a way out," he called out to her as he looked around, his eyes finally settling on the metal door which blended into the wall. He knew what was in there. "Humans are destined to be ruled."

Lizzie continued to cry out in pain, crawling across the floor as she saw his hand flick and the door opened quickly. He stepped inside whilst Lizzie grabbed onto the side of Banner's metal table, hauling herself to her feet, her hair matted against her face and her cheeks a deep red as she limped closer to the door.

"I admit, you are not the weakest of humans," Loki informed her as he moved from the room, a metal case held by his side and Lizzie shook her head at him.

"You can't escape!" she snapped and he chuckled at hearing her. "I won't let you!"

"Please spare me the dramatics," he urged her quickly, moving closer to her as she refused to cower away from him. He saw what was coming before she could hit his face this time. He caught her wrist in his hand with ease, twisting her arm as another sharp pain moved through her. "You cannot stop me, Miss Meyer. You and I both know that."

"I can try," she said to him. "You'll never get out of this."

"You have my permission to watch me," Loki said, pushing her away from him as her waist made contact with the table in front of her. She yelled out again at the impact and Loki studied her for a moment, shaking his head. "You tried your best, Lizzie." He informed her, the nickname making her well up. "But, your best just isn't good enough. It never will be."

...

A/N: Thank you to shadow-dog18, CuteSango07, Kai-Aala, stinkysox, miller330 for reviewing!

Do let me know what you think guys!


	33. Chapter 33

"He got the tesseract," Lizzie huffed out as soon as she saw Steve rush back into the lab, his eyes darting around and looking for her as she sat in a heap on the floor, her legs crossed underneath her body and her arms wrapped around her midriff, her eyes showing visible pain and her face red with the amount of deep breaths which she had been taking.

"We know," Steve soothed her as he bent down and helped her from the floor. She stumbled on her way up, her arms flinging around her body, hands resting onto any available surface as she looked across to Pepper who had fallen to the floor, her breathing had been gentle and steady and she hadn't hit anything on her way down.

"What happened to Pepper?" Steve asked Lizzie, letting her go as she leant the back of her legs against the desk, slowly breathing in and out whilst Steve knelt down, his fingers checking Miss Pott's pulse before his hand swept her hair from her eyes.

"Loki did something to her. He froze her and left...she just passed out as soon as he had gone. I did try to stop him, Steve. Honest."

"I know you," Steve quickly said. "I know that you wouldn't have let him go without telling him your thoughts on the matter...hence why you're battered and in a bad state."

"I'm fine," she promised him with a stern nod. "He didn't hurt me. Not really, anyway. I'm more worried what will happen now that he has the tesseract."

"I don't know," Steve mumbled in a whisper, thinking back to what had just happened. Loki had disappeared and they had been dealing with the door which he had locked, keeping them from him for just long enough so that he could get his hands on the tesseract. Steve's jaw clenched as he thought about what the God of Mischief had just done to them and he shook his head.

"Pepper!" Stark's voice suddenly snapped out.

Lizzie looked onto the CEO of Stark Industries as he took Pepper, holding her upright and in his lap as his eyes watered and Lizzie felt her jaw slacken slightly. She never thought that she would see the arrogant Man of Iron like that. He was distraught, worried beyond belief. He made his assessment of her quickly before drawing her into his arms, carrying her from the lab, too wrapped up in his own world with Pepper to notice anything else.

"Come on," Steve said, moving back to Lizzie and offer her his arm. She took it, clinging onto him for dear life as he remained thoughtful and pensive.

"What happened?" Lizzie wondered from him. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Don't concern yourself over me," Steve told her and she bit her lip, holding her tongue behind her mouth for she longed to tell him how she did in fact concern herself over him. A lot, to be honest. "Loki had us locked in the room he was being held prisoner in. Banner changed...anger got to him...it took all of us enough strength to keep him from hurting anyone. He smashed his way out and Thor has gone after him with Hawkeye and Miss Romanoff. Banner was always Loki's play. He knows that all he has to do is get to him."

"And now you have no idea what is coming," Lizzie concluded and Steve stopped walking whilst Lizzie looked around the empty corridors. S.H.I.E.L.D. had evacuated the entire premises, everyone was intent on finding Loki as he ran about New York without a care in the world, and simply waiting until his plan could be put into action.

"No, we don't," Steve admitted to her. "What did he say when he took the tesseract?"

"He just kept saying how humans were designed to be ruled," Lizzie said and she gulped, thinking back to what he had told her.

"_You'll have you comeuppance soon enough...but not through your own life...no...I'll make sure to take your dear Captain's life with you watching helplessly."_

She shuddered, shaking her head once and pushing his words to the back of her mind. He wouldn't get to Steve and Lizzie would make sure of that. She wouldn't let Steve anywhere out of her sight.

"He is adamant that nothing will stop him. I don't know what he's going to be stopped from doing but we both know that it won't be good, Steve," Lizzie spoke quickly and Steve agreed with her in a soft grunt, his brow rising on his forehead as he looked around where he was stood. Lizzie untangled her arm from his, her hand moving to hold Steve's cheek as he leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for a moment.

He couldn't help but feel content with her by his side.

"I know that nothing I say will be right," Lizzie whispered as Steve's hand rested on top of hers. "I know that you won't be at ease until this is over."

"I often wonder if anything will ever be normal again," he told her. "All I want is for us to go back to how we were. I want to walk you home from work and sit and talk about things which aren't important...I want you to show me New York...and teach me how to use that damned microwave whilst I show you how to ride a motorbike."

"It will happen," Lizzie said, feeling herself well up at his words. "Steve, we will make it happen."

Loki's words turned back to her and a sharp pain shot through her chest as she thought back to his sneering face, the look of glee in his eyes as he pushed her around.

"We could go," Lizzie said quickly and Steve dropped his hand from hers. He bowed his head and she pushed her hands through his thin blonde hair, cradling his head so that he had to look at her. "We could get out of New York...Steve...there are plenty of soldiers...there are plenty of men."

"Do not ask the impossible from me," Steve urged her. "Just stop, Lizzie. If men are going to be laying down their lives then I have as much of a right to do the same. I know what I am...a public figure...I can't run away from war when it was what I was destined for."

"Loki...Steve...he told me what he plans to do...he's going to kill you," Lizzie snapped out quickly, hysterics taking over her whilst Steve shook his head gently. "He told me that he will do it! And why would he lie? We both know what he is like!"

"He won't get to me," Steve said, his voice confident. "Loki has killed too many people already."

"And what is another one to his tally?" Lizzie wondered and Steve watched her. He knew that she was just asking for his safety but she didn't know what came with the role of being Captain America. "You have no way of tracking him down. Banner has gone...Loki has gone...the lab is destroyed along with the base."

"He won't be hiding," Steve said confidently.

"You've all been split up! What makes you think that Stark will come with you when Pepper has been hurt? I saw his face and so did you. No one wants this war, Steve."

"But no one wants to be ruled by Loki either, do they?" Steve responded. Lizzie said nothing back to him as she continued to stare into his baby blue's.

"I'm coming with you-"

"-No-"

"-It isn't up for debate," Lizzie cut him off. "I am not sitting and waiting. Loki won't kill me. He promised me that, Steve. He wants me to suffer more. He thinks it's funny that I'm so weak but I keep on going."

"That's exactly why you're not coming, Lizzie," Steve huffed. "He wants you to suffer. You're already in pain!"

"It's nonnegotiable," Lizzie said back to him. "My ribs aren't too bad...when I breath in a certain way...besides, you strapped them up."

"Lizzie, I-"

Steve didn't gain a chance to finish his sentence as the ground shook beneath his feet. Lizzie fell forwards, grabbing onto Steve's arms as he held her around the waist, keep his feet firmly planted on the ground as he looked around the underground corridor, rubble falling from the ceiling and dust covering them. The shake lasted for a few moments and died down, the pair of them looking at each other for a brief moment.

Steve quickly pulled Lizzie from the floor, cradling her in his arms as he rushed down the corridors.

"It's not safe to be underground," Steve said quickly, stopping at the elevator and looking at it. Lizzie pushed the button, still looking around as her arms moved around his neck and fear took hold of her. "I don't know what that was but we have to know that it can't be anything good."

"We both know that it is probably Loki,"

Lizzie said as the door opened and they stepped inside. Steve set Lizzie onto the floor, his arm still around her waist as she pursed her lips.

The pair of them didn't say anything until they were on the street of New York and away from the abandoned warehouse. The sky was alight in a bright blue colour. It was a colour which was all too recognisable in Lizzie's opinion.

"He's using the tesseract," Lizzie muttered and Steve pressed his hand to his forehead, blocking the light of the sun from his view as he continued to watch the parting of the sky, a sinking feeling coming over his stomach as Lizzie shook her head.

"Where's it coming from?" Steve wondered, knowing what would soon be coming if they were to have a repeat of last time. He looked across, wondering what was tall enough to house the tesseract.

Lizzie did a quick recollection of Geography and wondered for a couple of moments, unable to believe what she was about to say.

"It's the Statue of Liberty," she promised him and Steve looked at her, his face still a bit weary. Lizzie nodded quickly at him, turning around and looking for something to get them there.

"It is!" she snapped as Steve caught up with her in a few strides. "You have to get there by an island. I bet Loki has every route there guarded where no one can manage to find him! It's clever and stops him from being interrupted."

"Not on my watch."


	34. Chapter 34

"I don't think anything has happened yet," Lizzie informed Steve as she took to the wheel of an abandoned car which they had found in the deserted streets of New York City. Everyone had commenced their panic once again, hiding anywhere they could and waiting for their lives to be saved once again. Steve sat in the passenger side, his fingers curling around the handle on the roof as Lizzie drove like a maniac through the streets.

"Just slow down a bit," Steve urged her and she looked across to him for a quick moment and smirked once at the worried expression which was held on his face as she continued to drive erratically. "Lizzie, I'm serious."

"I can't slow down, can I?" she snapped back at him. "We don't really have time, Steve. Besides, I'm your only option to get there seeing as how you can really only drive a bike."

"I'm sure I can manage a car. You just didn't really give me a choice," he reminded her and she rolled her eyes, sharply turning the corner as she followed the signs for Liberty Island and the harbour. She shook her head as she stopped the car just before the harbour, making sure they weren't recognised. Steve was the first to climb out, grabbing onto his shield from the back seat and looking around whilst Lizzie did the same.

"It's abandoned," she commented. "No one is guarding anything, Steve."

"Something feels off," Steve told her and she agreed silently with him but continued to move forwards, looking onto the water taxis and then the blue light which continued to shine from the worldwide famous monument.

"Do you know how to work one of those?" Steve wondered and Lizzie shrugged nonchalantly.

"I can have a go," she assured him and his face showed one of weariness as he helped her down into the long, red boat. The wooden seats would normally be brimming full of people, looking around onto the open sea and remaining excited to visit somewhere historical. But, not today. Today, Steve looked at the empty spaces and followed Lizzie towards the simple control room at the front. She looked onto the panels and gulped, throwing her hair behind her shoulder whilst Steve watched her carefully.

"You have about as much of an idea as I do," Steve said and Lizzie didn't snap of sigh. She simply remained silent as Steve looked out the window and contemplated swimming.

"She may not, but I do."

The pair of them turned around as they saw Stark making his way down the boat, his body clad in Iron minus his face as he gently pushed Lizzie and Steve to the side.

"How is Pepper?" Steve asked him, his face showing genuine concern for the health of his friend's girlfriend. Stark nodded once, too intent on the controls to look back onto the Cap and his worry.

"She's fine," Stark nodded simply. "I've left her back at my Tower and Jarvis has her under lockdown. I contemplated staying with her but I knew that you wouldn't get anywhere whilst the rest of the team is scattered around New York trying to contend with a Hulk."

"We have seen no sign of them," Steve replied. "I don't know where Dr Banner has gone but no one is on the way to stop Loki. Even the police force isn't out."

"Can you blame them?" Stark wondered as the engine of the boat roared into life and the motion of the waves was suddenly felt. Lizzie grabbed onto the side of the boat, still looking onto the blue light emitted from the giant statue whilst Steve looked perplexed.

"It is their job to help," Steve said. "Surely they should be out here with us?"

"They're scared," Stark spoke quickly back to him. "Everyone is sat indoors and scared of what will happen. This city has been through enough all thanks to this Norse God. They don't want to go through anymore. They think we're their only hope. You've seen how they look up to us."

Steve remained silent, turning to look at Lizzie who shrugged gently in his direction whilst Stark flicked some more of the buttons and the boat moved faster against the lapping of the waves. He finally stopped his control and turned to Steve.

"I'll fly ahead," he said. "Nothing has happened yet and we need someone to stop him."

"And how do you expect us to dock this thing?" Steve worried.

"I don't," Stark spoke back curtly and made his way down the vessel. Steve shook his head, moving forwards after his friend who was climbing onto the metal step at the back of the boat, his eyes never leaving the blue light which shone up and into the sky.

"So we're just going to crash?" Steve checked and Stark rolled his eyes in frustration.

"There is a lifeboat back here. Use that and it will look less conspicuous if Loki has men guarding the Island. I can't see anything but I never know nowadays with Loki."

Steve nodded and grabbed hold of the small little rubber boat, pushing it over his shoulder before Stark abandoned them to their own devices.

"So what now?" Lizzie wondered as Steve looked onto the sea and the shrinking gap between them and the island. "We get into a little dinghy and hope we'll get there?"

"Looks that way," Steve nodded and stood onto the wooden seat, dropping the rubber into the water but keeping hold of the string so it didn't float off into the middle of nowhere. He offered his hand to Lizzie, hoisting her up as she sat on the side of the boat, her heart beating rapidly as Steve kept an arm securely around her.

"I've got you," he promised and she slowly lowered herself into the smaller transport mechanism, shrieking as the waves caused it to bounce around. Steve followed her, kneeling by her side as he gave her an encouraging smile and grabbed hold of the oar. Lizzie watched him in disbelief as he battled against the waves, making every movement seem effortless. Of course, he had nothing on the boat in front of them which was on its way to an unavoidable crash course.

"Steve!" Lizzie suddenly snapped his name as she pointed into the distance, her eyes wide at what she was seeing. Steve narrowed his blue orbs and paddled faster, determined to reach the scene in time but knowing full well that he couldn't. Glass shattered down from the top of the statue, falling like shards of raindrops. But, that wasn't the worrying part. The worrying part was the man of iron who was falling down with it.

"Oh my God," Lizzie whispered as Stark continued to tumble downwards, nothing easing the movement of the fall. "He's...he's not going..."

Before she could manage an incoherent sentence she heard a rumble of thunder whilst a bolt of lightning shot from the sky, landing down on the dark blue sea and the clouds turned black, the atmosphere changing around them as something shot past their dinghy, parting the waves as it went.

Steve smiled softly at the sight of the Norse God, his hammer outstretched in front of him and pulling him through the air and towards Stark. The two bodies collided together but ceased to fall, instead they were pulled back up to the top of the statue where they disappeared from view.

Steve stopped the dinghy as he neared the port of the island and quickly jumped out, offering his hands to pull Lizzie from the boat. She quickly took hold of him, grateful to be back on dry land as echoes moved through the Island and Steve grabbed onto his shield, looking at her and then back up to the battle.

"You need to stay here," he warned her and she contemplated challenging him. "I'm not arguing with you. You need to stay here and keep out of sight. There are three of us so far. We will be fine."

"If I wait in the stairwell, is that good enough?" she compromised and Steve pushed his lips together but nodded in agreement. Hiding in a stairwell wasn't one of her worst ideas. Taking hold of her hand, he dragged her towards the abandoned visitor's entrance and stood at the bottom of the steps, his thumb brushing a particle of dirt from her cheek as he smiled gently.

"It's the equivalent to walking up twenty flights of stairs," he told her, looking up the staircase and Lizzie smiled at the memory.

"And you never even broke a sweat," she whispered, quickly pressing her lips to his, tightly holding onto the side of his face as he gently held her waist, cradling her body to his before she leant her forward against his for a moment. The pair of them panted for a second before Lizzie reluctantly released her hold on him and his on her.

He didn't say anything as he rushed up the steps and Lizzie grabbed onto the banister, settling herself down onto the concrete before she collapsed. She thought about where he was going and what he was going to face as his footsteps continued to move through her ears and she shook her head.

"What the hell am I doing?" she mumbled to herself, pulling her body from its seat and rushing up the steps as fast as she could manage. Her panting must have been audible for a great distance and her heavy steps would surely have been heard. Yet, she failed to care. She continued with her great effort, working her way up the stairwell until she came to the top.

Cautiously, she held back for a moment, a deep voice coming from the room and a recognisable chuckle following it. Lizzie pressed her back against the wall, her hands moving on the cold surface as she rounded the corner, peeking her head to see what was happening.

"The soldier from out of time," Loki's voice snarled as Lizzie's eyes moved onto Steve who was on the ground, his leg bent as he knelt before Loki and another hooded figure. Loki held his sceptre in his hands, resting it onto Steve's shoulder. "They call him Captain America."

"He fails to look like a Captain to me," the gruff voice replied, circling Steve whilst Lizzie looked around in panic, her foot catching on a discarded coke can which she kicked slightly. The noise caused her to wince as silence fell on the room and another laugh was heard.

"Who is it?" the unrecognisable voice wondered from Loki who looked to the corner, knowing what he would find when he rounded it.

"Oh, this will be a good show, my master. I can assure you of that," Loki said.

Lizzie continued her feeble hiding attempt before she moved quickly, pulling her arm back and moving it through the air as she heard him near her. She knew it was a pointless move as he grabbed hold of her waist, drawing her from the shadows and the grin never leaving his face as he twirled her in his hold, pushing her back against his chest and pushing her forwards.

"Lizzie," Steve was the one to whisper, trying to move his body from the invisible restraint it had been put under. Loki laughed at his attempt, his long fingers moving into Lizzie's hair and pulling it back behind her shoulders as his lips moved closer to her ear.

"Did I not tell you that this would happen?" he checked with her. "Did I not tell you that I would be true to my word?"

"And who this be?" the hooded figure spoke and Lizzie looked onto the man, her eyes filled with fear as she took in his appearance and squirmed against Loki who kept her tightly to him.

"Elizabeth Meyer, my master," Loki said soothingly. "This would be Captain America's love."

"His love?" he chuckled back to Loki. "And the foolish human was silly enough to come here?"

"Love makes us all weak," Loki drawled to him whilst Lizzie tried to move herself from him.

"Well, girl," he said. "I suppose you think that you have shown great courage in coming here today."

"No," Lizzie replied quickly, unable to move her eyes from the set of his reddened face as her stomach convulsed at the mere sight of him. "I don't care what I have shown. All I know is that you won't get away with this."

"Spirited, aren't you?"

"She is indeed, my master," Loki agreed and Lizzie finally moved from his hold, pushing herself to the side and away from the pair of them as she bent down to Steve who was visibly in pain but unable to move.

"Since when did you call anyone master?" Lizzie snapped at Loki, kneeling by Steve as she tried to soothe him. "You always prided yourself on being the superior one of us!"

"He calls me master for that is what you shall all call me. Loki is not foolish enough to contest the decision which has been made. You will see that girl. You and your beloved superhero."

"Leave her be!" Steve roared out, another yell echoing from his body as he did so. "You won't touch her!"

"Steve...Steve..." Lizzie worried around him before looking to the pair of monsters stood before her. "Just let him go!"

"Your love for him is foolish," the red one spoke. "There is no turning back now," he said, looking to the broken window and onto the skyline of New York whilst Loki remained stood where he was, looking onto Lizzie and Steve, the pair of them comforting each other in a feeble hope. He watched for a moment, wondering how they had become so desperate, wondering how they could feel that way about each other.

"It's okay," Lizzie promised Steve. "It's okay...please, Steve...oh God...please..."

Loki moved closer to the scene, intrigue taking hold of him before Lizzie turned her water filled eyes onto the God of Mischief.

"Stop this!" she yelled at him. "Just stop this now! Loki!"

"There is no stopping it," Loki replied to her, his brows furrowed together as Steve slowly became limp and Lizzie shook her head, falling onto her bum as his body tumbled against hers and she watched him as his struggles stopped.

"Steve," she whispered, wiping his hair from his face. "Steve...no...Steve...darling...please..."

"Lizzie," Steve mumbled her name. "Lizzie...baby..."

"Oh God," Lizzie sobbed, her eyes red and puffed as her free hand pushed through her hair and rested his head in her lap, bending down as far as possible as her nose rested against his and her hair tickled across his skin. Her body continued to shake as Steve's eyes never left hers, their softness still showing as she looked back over to Loki and then onto the back of the hooded figure.

"You have to stop this!" she yelled out loud, her voice breaking as she pleaded with them. "You have to stop what you're doing to him!"

Neither one of them answered her as her eyes settled on an emotionless Loki and he turned away from her, closing his dark orbs as he heard her continue to sob. He told her that this would have happened. He warned her. He just didn't think that he would have felt like he did. None of it made any sense to him.

"Lizzie," Steve whispered her name. "They'll come for you...okay?...they will come and save you..."

"Sh," Lizzie said. "Don't talk, save your strength."

"Liz...I...I love you...I love you so much...my beautiful..."

"No," Lizzie hissed at him, squeezing his hand tightly as a tear fell down from her cheek and onto his pale skin. "Don't you say goodbye to me. You are not...you're going...we'll make it through this...understand?"

Steve gulped and said nothing to her, his eyes simply looking into hers for another few moments before his lids began to close.

"Steve," Lizzie wailed his name at the sight, quickly pressing her hand against his cheek as she continued to speak his name. "Steve...no...open your eyes...Steve...listen to me!"

"He cannot hear you," the velvet like voice spoke as Lizzie refused to tear her gaze from Steve. Loki stood behind her, looking down onto her as she sobbed loudly and he watched her with confusion. Did it hurt that much to love someone and lose them? He didn't know and he assumed he never would.

...

A/N: So, I come to conclude this story in a couple of chapters but don't worry, this is not the end! Anyway, let me know what you think!


	35. Chapter 35

"What have you done to him?" Lizzie snapped, looking up to Loki as Steve finally became unresponsive and she moved around his body on her knees, her hands resting on his pale face, pushing his hair from his features as she shook violently, moving her fingertips down and onto his neck, pressing into the vein to see if she could feel for a pulse.

"We are having our revenge," the other voice spoke, looking onto the city whilst Lizzie continued to watch Loki. The God of Mischief remained slightly confused as to what he was seeing. He had thought the human had been strong. He had thought that she had been even stronger than some warriors on Asgard. How wrong he was. She was in love and love made everyone weak. Torturing her through him had been a good idea. It had broken her. But now her own death would mean nothing to her.

"Revenge?" Lizzie spat out. "For what? What did he do to you? What did he ever do?"

"He stopped Loki," the red man spoke, turning back to look at her. "Granted, Loki should never have failed in his take in the first place."

Lizzie shook her head, looking back at Steve as hot tears moved down her grubby cheeks and landed on the star on his chest as the red man moved closer to her, the black cloak tightly pulled around his body and Lizzie tried not to flinch at the sight of him.

"The tesseract is powerful. I have its power and in turn I have drained the life from your super soldier. He shall not awake. There is no use in crying over him. However, your life holds no value for me...but it is Loki who seems to want revenge on you. I fail to believe how you have ever caused him any trouble...I suppose it shows just how weak he really is."

Lizzie looked up to Loki who was glaring at him, his jaw was set in a stubborn manner and his eyes were glaring in a narrowed fashion, refusing the move from him. Lizzie shook her head, wondering if she could play any of this to her advantage. Loki's anger would always be the downfall of him. She knew that.

"He failed to take over Earth once before," Lizzie informed him, still holding tightly onto Steve as she felt a faint pulse beneath her fingertips. Her fingers laced into his as she squeezed tightly, silently urging him to wake up for her. She couldn't do any of this without him. "What makes you think that you need his help this time?"

"Silence!" Loki snapped loudly, storming forwards so he stood in front of Lizzie, looking down at her with anger. "Thanos and I shall take over your petty world. You will see that."

"Thanos?" Lizzie arched a brow and looked between the pair of them as she saw something in the distance which looked like a man in the air. She quickly diverted her gaze back to the pair of them as Thanos turned his attention to Loki, his face stern. "Not master now?"

"Be quiet!" Loki roared at her, turning to look at Thanos, his chin jutted out in pride as the two of them glanced at each other. "You know that it is me who has made this possible. I am the one who took the tesseract and brought you down to Earth."

"And I am the one who gave you the power to do so." Thanos spat at Loki, circling the God like he was prey. Lizzie continued to hold Steve, slowly moving back on her knees, pulling his body with her as she went and staying out of the way of the two males.

She had lived in New York long enough to know when an alpha male was on the prowl. She wasn't blind and she wasn't naive.

"The tesseract's power is something which I have controlled before," Loki said quickly. "It is I who is destined to rule! It is I who is destined to look over these humans and control them!"

"Do not test me!" Thanos roared, his voice bellowing through the room and Lizzie winced at the noise, not knowing what to do as her eyes darted to the window and the flying figure grew larger in front of her eyes. "The Chitauri shall be with us soon and under my control. Not yours. How do you think you will fare then?"

Loki remained silent, realising that he had no chance against an army as large as the one which Thanos controlled. Lizzie quickly shook her head as a roar echoed through the air from outside. The two men looked at each other, rushing to the window and looking downwards as the green figure climbed the Statue, his face full of anger and his roars ripping through the air.

"And where is your army?" Loki snapped, worrying as he noted Stark in the distance. They had all found their way to the island. "If we are not quick to act then we can do nothing!"

"They shall be here momentarily," Thanos said, his voice calm and collected as he remained stood but Loki was suddenly swept off his feet as Stark collided with him.

Lizzie shrieked as the pair of them whizzed past her, causing her hair to blow as they went. Thanos turned to look at the commotion as Loki lay on the ground, his eyes glaring up as Stark stood above him, his foot pressed on his chest.

"What do you think?" Stark wondered, moving his helmet down as he glanced at Lizzie and Steve, his eyes showing confusion and fear as he saw Lizzie's sobbing and Steve's still body. "There are two of you and I believe you are outnumbered."

"I have an army on the way," Thanos said quickly. "Do not become so confident."

"That is unless we destroy the tesseract," Stark said and Thanos laughed quickly, shaking his head as Stark froze, the noise scaring him slightly.

"Destroying the tesseract will not help you," Thanos promised Stark. "If anything you will be killing your beloved Captain."

"What have you done to him?" Stark hissed and Thanos continued to grin, knowing that he had gotten to Stark as he turned to look back out the window, his hands behind his back.

"You shall see."


	36. Chapter 36

"This isn't funny!" Lizzie finally snapped and she stood up, her hands balling into fists as she advanced towards Thanos, her eyes burning with rage and hatred as he watched her intently, wondering what power a simple human possessed. Did she honestly believe that she could tell him what to do?

"What have you done to him? What is happening?"

Stark remained behind her as Loki stayed on the ground, sitting up by pushing himself onto his elbows, his eyes watching Lizzie with intent as she screamed loudly in Thanos's face. The man of red did not look impressed with her but he said nothing as Stark stayed close by her side, making sure she did nothing stupid or rash.

"Just stop whatever you have planned! Stop it now!"

"And what shall you do if I do not stop?" Thanos wondered, taking a step closer to her, the heat from her body radiating against his skin. Lizzie remained stubborn, her hands clenched by her sides as her heart thumped against his chest. She was acting braver than she felt. "What do you think you can do to me? The mighty Thanos?"

"She may not be able to stop you," Stark interrupted, his hand resting on Lizzie's shoulder, his fingers curling around her skin as he dragged her back slightly, stepping in front of her and protecting her from Thanos and his deadly glare. "But we will. I can assure you that we will stop whatever you have planned. We managed the first time and we can manage for a second time."

"Your optimism is misplaced," Thanos chuckled, shaking his head as Loki stood up, cautiously moving through the room, his eyes still on Lizzie as her cheeks turned red with anger. His dark eyes continued to roam her face as he walked to stand by Thanos. His gaze quickly diverted to Steve who was still on the floor, his body limp and his chest moving up and down lightly. He knew there was not much longer for the super soldier.

"No," Stark responded. "You are the one who is misplaced. You do not belong on Earth and we will not host you if you threaten us. You'll be defeated. Now, what have you done to the Cap?"

"The Cap," Thanos chuckled. "The tesseract has taken his life. It has drained him and I have control of the tesseract. I have his life in my hands."

"Then stop this," Lizzie growled, pushing past Stark once again who reluctantly allowed her to move him to the side. She looked to Loki with pleading, knowing that he was the one who she had more chance of cracking. Thanos was unreasonable and she knew Loki was to a certain extent. But she had seen the way he had looked at her earlier. He had spoken to her in a softer tone with a certain amount of pity.

All of his threats before had seemed to evaporate. Her eyes moved back to Thanos and her jaw set in a stubborn manner.

"You need to stop this," she snapped at him. "What do I have to do to get him back?"

"You beg for his life whilst I stand here planning to take over New York?" Thanos checked with her and Loki shook his head, rolling his eyes. He had seen this before. Romanoff had tried to bargain with him. She had stood before him with her pleas and her fake sobs before she got the better of him. She had played him. But, Lizzie was no Black Widow. She sincerely wanted him back. It was love once again.

"Yes," Lizzie said; no shame in her voice.

"And what are you willing to do for him?" Thanos asked of her and she looked to the ground as Stark moved closer to her, his mouth right next to her ear.

"Don't say anything," he urged her and she shook her head, brushing him off.

"For Steve?" Lizzie checked and Thanos nodded. She turned back to look at Steve, her eyes wide and tears once again pooling as she saw him. "I would do anything for him."

"I see," Thanos spoke before hissing; "Pathetic."

Before anyone had any chance to speak there was a rumble of thunder from the sky and everyone turned to look out the broken window as Thanos allowed his grin to widen and Loki remained silent, his lips flat in a tight line as Lizzie took the opportunity to move to him. Stark rushed to the window, watching as the sky parted and dark clouds moved over New York.

"You need to stop this," Lizzie whispered, her hand wrapping around Loki's arm as he drew his gaze onto her, recoiling slightly as he saw her touch him, the feeling of her sweaty palm causing his stomach to lurch. "Loki...you don't want this...everything which you said earlier...I don't believe you want this."

"Do not think you know me," Loki spat at her, snatching his arm from her hold as she shook her head. "Do you honestly think that this is not what I want? Your pleas fall on deaf ears. I assure you of that."

Lizzie stepped back from him as he grinned at seeing the loss of hope in her face. Stark shook his head as the creatures they had previously faced moved down through the sky and Thanos laughed loudly, the glee in his voice uncontrollable.

"And so it begins," Thanos declared and Stark nodded in agreement, his helmet moving back down his head as his suit powered up and he took hold of Thanos suddenly, the red man not expecting the movement as he flew from the room, intent on stopping what was about to happen.

Lizzie rushed to the window, leaning out of it and looking up as the blue light continued to shine wildly into the sky and Lizzie contemplated moving from the statue and climbing upwards. Loki stood at the window, looking down at the island as Thanos stood before Stark, the pair of them engaging in combat as the Hulk stood by the dock, waiting for the Chitauri along with Hawkeye and Romanoff. Taking a moment, he wondered where his brother was but he did not dwell on the thought.

"What is the plan?" Lizzie asked, her voice softer than normal as she looked onto the torch and the stairs which led up to the tesseract which rested on top of it. She gulped loudly as Loki laughed at hearing her.

"And what makes you think I would tell you?" he wondered and she nodded, looking back at Steve.

"How do I bring him back?" she asked quickly and Loki arched a brow in her direction.

"You need the tesseract to touch him once again," Loki decided to tell her, knowing that she would not gain the power which the tesseract possessed.

"Got it," Lizzie said and she quickly moved through the Statue. Loki stood and watched her for a moment, wondering where she was running off to. The urge to follow her possessed him as he moved to the staircase and looked down but she was already out of sight. Loki shook his head, moving back into the room, his cape billowing behind him as he moved back to look down onto the wreckage.

She had ran. They all did in the end. The fear would get to them.

But, Loki had to admit that he was wrong. He looked to the torch, the arm of the Statue extending upwards as a figure gripped onto the ladders which climbed up towards the torch. A snarl left his throat as he projected quickly, moving to stand on the bottom of the ladder.

Lizzie felt the movement of the metal and looked down as Loki glared up at her. She continued to move upwards with haste, her eyes looking to the top and widening as she saw another Loki already stood there, the grin fixed on his face.

"You honestly believe that you can outwit me?" Loki checked and Lizzie pulled herself together as the wind whipped across her body and she froze, fear of the height taking hold of her. Loki's laugh echoed through the wind as Lizzie neared the top, scrambling at Loki's feet to push herself upwards. Her attempt to push past Loki failed as his arm moved around her waist, stopping her from walking to the tesseract. Lizzie struggled in his grasp as he continued to push her back.

"You fool," Loki snapped, his hand wrapping around her wrist as he pushed her to the side of the torch, her upper body hanging over the edge as she screamed loudly, aimlessly fighting against him.

"You have no strength to fight me," Loki assured her. "Believe me when I say that dropping you from this height will do nothing to dampen my spirits."

"Get off of me!" Lizzie snapped quickly. "I need to help him...I need to save him..."

"It is too late," Loki simply told her. "Now stop this. It would be a shame to kill you, Elizabeth. You are obviously strong willed and making you bow down to me will be a joy."

"You think I will bow down to you?" Lizzie checked; hauling her body upright as Loki pressed her back against his chest, keeping her tight to the edge. Lizzie ground her teeth together as Loki chuckled in her ear.

"Obviously," Loki spoke in a drawl.

"I'd rather die," she simply told him. He didn't gain the chance to speak as she quickly moved her foot upwards and it made contact with his groin. Loki groaned out loud, his grip on her loosening as Lizzie turned in his hold, quickly punching him in the face as Loki yelled out loud, throwing curses at her.

He moved to his feet with haste, the pain not bothering him too much as Lizzie reached the tesseract and looked up to see the Chitauri still moving from the sky. The machine which held it was small and forcing the light from the cube. Lizzie shook her head, looking at the levers and wondering which one to use as she gulped.

"Good try," Loki hissed, moving to startle her and Lizzie pushed on the levers, none of them seeming to do anything and she panicked as Loki grabbed her wrist. "You cannot stop this now!"

"No." A new voice boomed all of a sudden. Both sets of eyes turned to look up to the top of the torch, the new God stood there in a balancing act as his hammer was held in his hand. "Enough, brother."

"Ah, here he is," Loki said, his attention moving to Thor as he released Lizzie. "The mighty Thor has arrived to save his favourite planet."

"You are too late," Loki said, his arms outstretched and Lizzie went back to looking at the levers of the machine holding the tesseract, panic filling her body as Thor jumped down to stand beside her and Loki looked at him for a moment.

"I am not," Thor snapped back at Loki as his brother attempted to throw a punch in his direction. He missed as Thor ducked down, instantly pushing his brother to the floor and resting his hammer on top of his body. Loki groaned at the feeling and Thor turned to the machine as Lizzie continued to panic.

"How do we turn this off?" Thor wondered and Lizzie shook her head.

"I don't know...I just need the tesseract...I need it to save Steve..."

"Does no one listen to me?" Loki snapped, trying to move from the force of the hammer. "It is too late."

"No, it is not," Thor said and summoned his hammer, holding it tightly in his hand and slamming it against the machine, the mechanics breaking within a moment as the light vanished and the Chitauri disappeared.

Loki shook his head as Lizzie wasted no time in grabbing the handle of the tesseract and Thor moved back to his brother, glaring at him and shaking his head.

"Evil will never prevail over goodness, brother," Thor spoke. "You should know that by now."

"No," Loki said. "I know subjugation when I see it. The human race-"

"-Be silent, Loki!" Thor's voice boomed as he grabbed his brother by the cuff of his outfit and shook him. "It is over. You will come home."

Forcing her way down the steps, Lizzie jumped down the arm of the Statue and rushed back inside, running up the steps and lugging the tesseract behind her. Her body ached with tiredness as her limbs remained heavy and tight. Steve was still laid on the ground, still breathing lightly as Lizzie dropped to her knees by his side, the tesseract next to her as she took hold of his hand, her fingers shaking as she entwined their fingers and pressed his knuckle against her lips.

"Please wake up," she begged him before resting his hand onto the cube of blue light. She waited for a moment, nothing seeming to happen to him as hope drained from her body. The tears began to fall once again as a noise came from her body which was barely audible and she shook her head.

"Lizzie."

She looked at him as he snatched his hand instantly from the tesseract as if it was burning him and Lizzie watched him with concern in her eyes. She moved closer to him, bending over his face as her hand ran along his cheek and his blue eyes slowly opened, his mouth parted and his breaths coming out in short pants as Lizzie smiled in joy, helping him to sit up.

"Steve...oh God...you're alive...I thought...I thought that...never do that to me again..." she spoke to him as Steve remained bewildered and confused, his body weak and tired. He didn't complain as she flung her arms around him, holding her body tightly to his as her lips moved tenderly across his face. He managed to rise on one arm, resting his hand on the small of her back as her lips finally met his.

"I love you, Steve," Lizzie blubbered and he rested his forehead against hers. "It's over...it's all over."

"Really?" he checked and she nodded against him.

"Really."

...

A/N: So, one more chapter left! Not even joking! I would like to thank shadow-dog18, Theonlyredhead, miller330, CuteSango07 and stinkysox for reviewing the previous chapter!


	37. Chapter 37

Steve ran his hands through her hair, parting it with his large fingers as she stood by the counter in his apartment, a spoon in her hand as she stirred the coffee in the mugs. Lizzie relaxed, rolling her head back to rest against Steve's shoulder as he kissed the top of her head.

"Do you have to go back in?" Lizzie whispered to him, dropping the spoon onto the side before turning in his hold. She stood before him, her hair wet after she had showered and his dressing gown tied tightly around her with one of his long shirts on her body. Steve had changed into his usual attire of brown pants along with a leather jacket which covered his shoulders.

"Director Fury has ordered it," he shrugged at her, his hands gripping her by the waist as she moved closer to him, her hands limp on his chest as he took in her pale features. He could see how she had changed during the past few weeks. No longer was there any energy in her eyes or stubborn set jaw. She was exhausted and he had to admit that he felt the same way. "You stay here and get some food down you, Lizzie. You're looking thinner than normal."

"Do you have any food?" Lizzie mumbled, looking at his cupboards and Steve shrugged.

"I think I have a few packets of chips," he told her. "I'll pick something up on the way back. There's bound to be some food places open around here, isn't there?"

"It is New York," Lizzie said, quickly kissing his jaw and stepping out from his hold, grabbing the white cup and sipping on the coffee. "The city that never sleeps."

"True," Steve agreed. "Anyway, everything looks like it will be fine. Thanos has been captured and Fury has yet to say what he intends to do with him."

"What about Loki?" Lizzie wondered, slightly curious about the God and what fate awaited him. Steve arched a brow in her direction and she shrugged, placing the cup back on his worktop as she explained herself; "I'm curious. There was something about him...it was like he didn't really mean any of the threats which he said...I can't explain it."

"Loki is a war criminal," Steve replied, his voice taut as he looked apprehensive. "I don't know what is planned for him. He won't be escaping anytime soon, that is as much as I know."

"Obviously," Lizzie nodded in agreement with him. "And then there is another matter which we have to consider."

"And what would that be?" Steve asked her, grabbing his wallet which rested on the table. He had to admit that he was surprised his apartment had survived the looting which had been taking place in his apartment building. Lizzie looked down, knowing what had happened on the floor beneath her and Steve followed her gaze, his mouth parting slightly as a sigh escaped his lips.

"Geoff," Steve said and he chuckled lightly. Lizzie's eyes shot up to look at him and she dropped her hands to her hips.

"Why the laugh?" she asked Steve and he shook his head, pushing a hand through his hair before looking at her once again, a small smile on his face as he did so.

"Let us just say that he will not be bothering you anymore, Lizzie," Steve promised her. "I had a word with Fury who is deporting him from the States to somewhere I do not know of. He assured me that he would not be bothering us again."

"Seriously?" Lizzie checked, her orbs widening and Steve shrugged.

"Seriously," he confirmed. "Fury owed me a favour anyway and this was it. No one is going to bother us anymore, Lizzie. I promise you."

"Well," Lizzie muttered, her face scrunched up as she did so. "I still have parents who will be worrying about me and as soon as they find out I'm alive they will commence their lectures. Not to mention the fact they aren't best pleased with you after that evening in the restaurant."

"They aren't who I care for."

"No kidding?"

"Do I joke often?"

"I suppose not," Lizzie concluded. "If you're going out then I'm going to change and go and find Brenda. I need to make sure she is safe."

"Lizzie," Steve complained and she shook her head at him, draining some more of her coffee as he continued to look in a disapproving fashion at her.

"No, Steve," Lizzie replied. "I need to go and see her. I'll be safe now. You said so yourself."

"Fine," Steve agreed. "Look...when I am finished then I will stop by the coffee shop to see if you are there. If not then I will assume you have come back here."

"Okay," Lizzie agreed, sensing that it was a reasonable offer. She moved over to him, kissing him quickly as he held onto her tightly, not really wanting to let go but knowing that he had to.

"Lizzie," Steve complained, moving his head back and from her reach and she laughed, quickly pecking him on the cheek and stepping away from his arms. "As much as I would love to stay here with you-"

"-You have to go," Lizzie concluded.

"I'll be back soon," Steve said to her, knowing full well that his motorbike was no longer parked outside and had been stolen. He cursed the thief who had taken it and swiftly kissed Lizzie again before making his leave.

...

"Maria! What have I told you about the coffee machine?"

Lizzie chuckled once as she entered the coffee shop. She had managed to change into her jeans and she wore one of Steve's plain white shirts tucked into her waistband and left one of his checkered shirt undone and hanging over her body. She ran a hand through her dirty blonde hair as she saw Brenda stood with her hands on her hips, her head held high as she wore her usual black uniform.

"Nice to see you haven't changed," Lizzie called out before looking around the coffee shop. It seemed minimal damage had happened as chair and tables just seemed to be turned over the wrong way and there was some debris on the floor. Brenda whirled around, her eyes widening as she shrieked once and moved over to Lizzie who hugged her tightly.

"Elizabeth Meyer!" Brenda spoke loudly, stepping back and checking the girl before her wasn't injured in any way. "Where the hell have you been? New York has been under attack and I had no idea what had happened to you!"

"It's a long story," Lizzie informed Brenda. "But are you okay? Did anything happen to you?"

"I've been locked up in my apartment with only the TV for company. Ridiculous, isn't it? New York is under attack yet there can still be news and rubbish programmes shown! Besides, I watched the news mainly...strange thing though...the Avengers...well that's what they call them...well, anyway, they were at the Statue of Liberty but then I caught a glimpse of the back of this girl's head."

"Brenda," Lizzie drawled her name and the elder woman arched a brow.

"Are you going to tell me what happened, babe, or do I have to beat it out of you with a stick?" Brenda asked and Lizzie shook her head.

"I didn't even notice the news crews." Lizzie mumbled and Brenda took hold of her hand, dragging her to a booth in the back, the pair of them sitting opposite each other as Brenda waited expectantly.

"So it was you?"

"Do you think anyone knows?" Lizzie wondered and Brenda snorted, waving her worries off.

"Don't be ridiculous," she spat out. "I only knew because of that massive kink in your straight hair. It happens when you don't straighten it."

"It doesn't," Lizzie denied, her hand instantly moving to cup the back of her head to feel for any lump. Brenda rolled her eyes and Lizzie shook her head. "You won't believe it if I tell you."

"Try me," Brenda said. "We've already suffered UFO attacks, honey. Nothing can shock me anymore."

"Brenda...if I tell you this...you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone...I'm serious."

"Okay," Brenda agreed hastily. "Just tell me, Lizzie. I can't take anymore waiting."

"Fine." Lizzie agreed. "It's Steve, well, you know Captain America? It's...well...Steve is him."

Brenda sat there for a moment, clearly unfazed by what Lizzie had just told her and the blonde leaned forwards, resting her hands on the table as she looked at Brenda who did nothing in return, she simply nodded once in agreement to what Lizzie had said.

"I thought so."

"What?" she snapped back, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Why else would you be near the Avengers?" Brenda asked. "It clearly isn't any others and there was that time on Brooklyn Bridge, sweetie. Captain America saved you. I thought it was impossible...but he can't be the original..."

"Wrong," Lizzie replied and this time Brenda's mouth did pop open.

"He's older than me in that case, sugarplum!" Brenda snapped out. "How is that even possible?"

"He's a super soldier," Lizzie shrugged. "They found him alive in the ice from where he crashed his ship. I know how old he is...but it doesn't change anything. I love him, Brenda."

"I'm sorry," Brenda said; her voice full of sarcasm. "What did you say? I know I am old but I don't think I am going deaf."

"Brenda," Lizzie rolled her eyes, still smirking. "You heard me. I love him. Everything I ever thought before...about love not being real...I don't believe it now. I can't believe it. It's like Steve is my everything. Without him then nothing matters. It's scaring me a bit."

"Oh, Lizzie," Brenda chuckled. "That's what love is. I can't imagine it is difficult not to love that man when staring into his large blue eyes. He had me swooning slightly."

"It's everything about him which I love...God...what has happened to me?"

"You've found a man who treats you like you deserve," Brenda said to her. "Not like the others."

"Ah, the others," Lizzie said and Brenda looked questioningly to her. "There's a story behind everything but it is quite long."

"Maria!" Brenda yelled out loud, turning from the booth to look at the girl who was sweeping up behind the counter. "Two coffees! I'm out of action for a while."

...

Steve stood by the window for a moment or two, watching as Lizzie sat opposite Brenda, her body shaking as she laughed and Steve instantly smiled at seeing her, watching her hand push her hair from her pale face as she leaned forwards, genuinely hysterical at whatever Brenda had said.

He pursed his lips for a moment, looking at her and then to his bike which sat on the road. Fury had been kind enough to give him a new mode of transportation and Steve had been grateful. He had been told that his future was certain with S.H.I.E.L.D. He could even have a job training their new agents in combat if he wished. He could settle down.

Fury had warned him that danger may come his way again and had questioned his relationship with Miss Meyer if that were to happen again. Steve had instinctively defended their relationship, stating that Lizzie would be safe and she would not be involved in anymore business with the department. Fury had remained silent, hoping that he was right. It was only on the way to the coffee shop when Steve began to think.

How close had he come to losing her?

How often had his heart almost broken when he found out she was not with him?

How had she felt?

She had been through so much and it was natural for Steve to worry. He worried if she was better off without him. He worried if she was better going her own way. She may resent him for a while, even curse his name and wish she had never met him. But, Steve had no doubt that she would move on. She was a tough woman. He had seen that. He just didn't want to see her hurt again.

All of his worries were pushed from his brain though as soon as he saw her turn around after Brenda nodded at the glass. Her smile was fixed in place and it seemed to grow as her green eyes found his and she tucked her hair behind her ear. Steve smiled back at her and moved to the coffee shop.

He wasn't giving up his own happiness as well as hers for something which may not happen. She needed him and he needed her. They had begun as two lost souls in a big city. A lonely girl from Dakota and a scrawny boy from Brooklyn. And then they had found each other. She'd managed to heal him and help him realise that Peggy had moved on and he had to do the same. He wanted to do the same. In the same way he had shown her that there were people out there who cared for her.

Captain America wasn't selfish. He would place her safety first and leave her if he thought it was for the best. But Lizzie hadn't fallen for the star spangled man. She'd fallen for the kid from Brooklyn.

"Hey," Lizzie said as Steve entered the door and stood before them. She quickly stood up, kissing him longingly as Brenda watched the pair of them for a moment.

"Hey yourself," Steve whispered as soon as Lizzie pulled back from him. "Brenda, how are you?"

"I'm peachy, lovely," Brenda assured him and winked whilst Steve looked slightly confused at her behaviour.

"She knows," Lizzie muttered and Steve said nothing as Brenda stood up, taking the two empty coffee cups with her as she went.

"Not to worry, darling," Brenda said, patting his arm as she stood. "Your secret is safe with me. I had my inclination when I saw you catch her from Brooklyn Bridge."

"Much appreciated, ma'am," Steve said, a small incline from his head as Brenda smiled softly.

"You two go home. I'll be taking off soon for some rest. Besides, you need some time to recuperate as well as exercise some more," Brenda said suggestively whilst Steve continued to look puzzled. Lizzie rolled her eyes, pecking Brenda on the cheek before taking hold of Steve's hand, leading him back onto the sidewalk which was alight with activity, people walking and talking to each other but none of them mentioning the attack which had happened in their city.

"You got a new bike?" Lizzie checked as Steve climbed onto it and shrugged nonchalantly, his lips pulled up at the side as he looked at her.

"Fury was feeling pleasant. Hop on." He said and Lizzie looked at the seat before willing sitting behind Steve, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head in between his shoulder blades as the engine roared into life and she jumped slightly as Steve chuckled, moving off down the road. It was true, Prince Charming may not exist, but Steve Rogers did and he was as good as that in her eyes.

...

A/N: Okay, it's FINISHED! Over. I still cannot believe it! This story has been my baby for a few months now and I have totally enjoyed writing it. I know updates haven't been constant but I hope they have been worth it when they came. I would like to thank anyone who has stuck by this even if you have reviewed or haven't, it matters not, you've read it and I hope you have enjoyed.

Anyway, I would like to thank SharkGurl, stinkysox, Kai-Aala, Theonlyredhead, shadow-dog18, miller330 for reviewing recently.

One final comment?

Sequel? One Shots? Leave me your opinion and thanks once again.


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